Dark, leafy greens are the rock stars of the produce department: Nutrition powerhouses like kale, collard greens, Swiss chard, watercress, arugula and mustard greens have been shown to prevent everything from cancer to heart disease while keeping your body and brain in top shape. As an ingredient, however, they can be a little intimidating—mostly because we often don’t have a clue how to cook with them. But these surprisingly versatile vegetables can pep up salads, stir-frys and pizza—heck, they can even give chips a run for their money in the snack department. Read on for the 411 on six good-for-you greens.
Kale Arguably the king of the leafy greens, kale scored No. 1 in a ranking of 84 veggies by the Center for Science in the Public Interest in Washington, D.C. Crammed with nutrients, notably vitamins K, A and C and calcium, kale is also a cancer-fighting superpower. Kale’s 45 flavonoids combine antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits to help fend off bladder, breast, colon, ovarian and prostate cancer, says Ron Edwards, D.C., M.S., certified clinical nutritionist and integrated cancer nutritionist in Culver City, Calif. Noggin-nourishing antioxidants in kale also keep the brain sharp as you age. Heartier than spinach with a bitter bite, the versatile veggie works in stir-frys, soups and omelets.
Watercress This subtle-looking superfood can go head to head with milk for calcium, bananas for potassium and oranges for vitamin C. And its concentration of isothiocyanates—anticancer phytochemicals that help prevent lung, colon and breast cancer— really set it apart. “In addition to having major anti-cancer properties, watercress can help lower cholesterol and regulate blood pressure, and improve fertility, mental clarity and bone health,” says Joey Shulman, D.C., registered nutritionist in Toronto and author of The Last 15 (Wiley). A natural diuretic, watercress adds a peppery bite to dishes for a measly 4 calories per cup.
Swiss chard In addition to iron, protein, folate and fiber, nutrient-packed Swiss chard also boasts vitamins K, A and C. Chard is more colorful than your average greens, with stems ranging from red to purple. Thank its wide array of phytonutrients for its flashy appearance. “The phytonutrient compounds in chard act as a natural anti-inflammatory, lowering the risk of chronic inflammation and fending off disease,” says Shulman, who adds that its blood sugar regulating properties could also benefit those with type II diabetes. Milder than spinach, chard can be eaten raw or simply sautéed with garlic and olive oil.
- See more at: http://www.naturalhealthmag.com/healthy-eating/eat-more-kale#sthash.jek7glZe.dpuf
Most of us are back at work and the kids are back to school. Our relaxing holiday where we had time to prepare and enjoy our long lunches has passed for another year. So it is back to reality and we all face similar challenges when it comes to eating healthy and nourishing meals during the day…no time?! Here are some tips and ideas to create and enjoy wholesome meals away from home and in a hurry!
Be Prepared
Use your weekends wisely and set aside a few hours every Sunday to prep your lunches and snacks for the week, whether it’s yours or your childrens.
Make your own trail mix
If you have trouble finding the perfect trail mix for you, then why not make up your own snack mix with your favourite ingredients!
go to http://ourorganics.com.au where you can purchase organic & natural nuts, seeds and dried fruits in bulk and make your own trail mix! Some ideas…
Homemade Snack Bars
Use your weekend to bake some homemade muesli bars and portion up for the week ahead. Try this
,
Organic Fruit & Nut Slice |
Ingredients 1 ½ cup organic dried apricots or organic dates, chopped Big squeeze of lime juice 1 cup of organic wholemeal spelt flour 1 cup organic rolled oats ½ teaspoon mixed spice ¼ teaspoon baking powder 1/3 cup organic rapadura sugar 30g organic butter 60g organic coconut oil 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ¾ cup organic raw nut mix, roughly chopped Method Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius. Line a baking tray with baking paper, cutting to fit. Place chopped fruit in a saucepan and cover (only just) with water. Bring to boil and allow to simmer until fruit becomes sticky. Turn off heat, squeeze lime over fruit and allow to cool. Add flour, oats, spice, baking powder and rapadura to a bowl and mix well. Add melted butter and coconut oil plus vanilla extract to dry mixture. Mix together (may be a bit crumbly). Spoon ¾ of this mixture into baking tin and press with hand making sure it is firmly laid along base of tin. Mash the fruit slightly then layer on top of oat mixture. With the back of a spoon smooth over so the base is entirely covered. Mix crushed nuts with left over oat mixture and sprinkle over fruit. Using your hands gently pat the nuts into fruit to flatten. Bake for 20 minutes or until brown. Allow to cool then chop into desired size pieces. Recipe shared by Lauren Edwards from www.food4life.com.au |
here is what you should be buying that is is season at the markets
vegetables
fruits
Mom was right when she said breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But what you choose for breakfast can make or break your day (sorry, bacon didn’t make the list). Here are our top 8 foods that help make your morning meal a healthy one.
Nonfat Greek Yogurt
With more hunger-fighting protein than traditional yogurt, it’ll keep those mid-morning hunger pangs at bay. Learn to make your own
Oatmeal
Start your day off with a warm bowl of oatmeal — choose rolled or steel cut oats.
Skip the sugary packets and add a little sweetness with dried fruit,
or a touch of honey or rapadura sugar. Use your slow cooker to make getting a healthy breakfast even simpler.
Berries
Toss blueberries, strawberries and raspberries on cold cereal, oatmeal, yogurt, pancakes or French toast. Berries are high in an anti-inflammatory compounds called anthocyanins, which may help reduce heart disease and diabetes, and improve eyesight and short-term memory.
Peanut Butter
Need a quick protein boost in the morning? Spread a tablespoon of the stuff on whole grain bread, add to a smoothie, mix into oatmeal or spread on apple slices. only willowvale organic peanut butter as nothing is added to ours
Eggs
Easy and versatile, eggs contain vitamins A and D and the antioxidant lutein for healthy skin and eyes. Scrambled, soft-boiled, poached or over easy, serve with whole-grain toast for a stay-with-you breakfast.
Flaxseeds
Sprinkle flaxseeds on yogurt, oatmeal or blend in your morning smoothie or muffin batter. This high-powered seed adds extras omega-3 fat, fiber and protein.
Cottage Cheese
Top low-fat cottage cheese with fresh fruit for an on-the-go breakfast that will leave you satisfied. Packed with 16 grams of hunger-fighting protein and only 1 gram of fat, it’ll help get your day started.
Whole-Grain Cereal
A bowl of whole grain cereal and low-fat or skim milk takes only minutes to put together. But watch out for whole grain cereal boobie traps, like high calories and sugar. See which popular brands reigned supreme in our cereal taste test.
merry christmas to all our wonderful organic and gluten free customers
here is what you should be buying that is is season at the markets
vegetables
fruits
here is what you should be buying that is is season at the markets
vegetables
fruits
we hope you are enjoying our new look website we would love some feedback ( positive or negative) please so
we can fix and improve any areas where needed. We want to help as much as possible so our customers
are happy. We have added many new lines so there is more choice for you all and at reasonable prices.
SOME IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
In the past when you ordered your selection of products they arrived in either
WILLOWVALE ORGANICS OR THE GLUTEN FREE CO
we have made the following changes and all products will now come as the following
GLUTEN FREE PRODUCTS WILL COME PACKED UNDER OUR NEW ONLINE STORE LABEL
JUST GLUTEN FREE.
*(the product will still be organic and gluten free exactly the same as THE GLUTEN FREE CO.)
ALL ORGANIC PRODUCTS WILL COME PACKED UNDER
OUR ORGANIC & GLUTEN FREE
Please be assured the raw ingredients are exactly the same just with a different label. The reason for this
is so we can reduce our prices to you our customers so you are getting better value buying online .
If you would like to discuss these changes please either give us a call 07 55467582 or send us an
email and we will be happy to discuss the changes with you.