Gina's "Superfoods" (Last 5 of 10)

I enjoyed reading everyone's own list of whole grain and fruit/vegetable "superfoods"! I realize I didn't put any fruits on my list, likely because I just don't eat much fruit. Of the fruits I do eat, frozen blueberries and blackberries are my favorite. Apples used to be my favorite, until I realized they cause me to get bloated, so sad :(

Today's list consists of my favorite sources of dairy, fat, and a sweet indulgences (starting with one more vegetable!):

6) Spaghetti Squash

When you can't eat wheat, foods like this are just what the doctor ordered. Heck, even if I could eat wheat I would still eat this daily! It's a non-starchy vegetable (right Sophia??) that is the perfect replacement for pasta (well, maybe not perfect, but close). While it doesn't provide as much protein as pasta, nor does it provide the phytonutrients found in whole grain pasta, it is lower in calories, and provides more vitamins and minerals.

7) Kefir

Come on, who doesn't like fermented milk products?! haha. Yeah, if you're anything like my boyfriend, Nick, you'll despise this stuff. I love it. If you don't have a Trader Joe's near you, try Lifeway Kefir, it's just as good. I like to buy the plain variety and add Truvia and unsweetened cocoa powder. This is how I get my daily dose of probiotics (although I don't really think the amount I consume provides me with the appropriate amount for clinical purposes). It also contains inulin (a prebiotic that is the food for the probiotics), vitamin D, 11 grams of protein, and of course calcium.


8) Greek yogurt

I don't necessarily prefer Oikos, in fact I think Chobani is the creamiest. I like to eat Greek yogurt right before bed, after my popcorn. The casein in Greek yogurt is a "slow protein", which means it's absorbed slowly and studies have shown it continuously provides the muscles with energy to repair and rebuild through the night. Of course it's also good to eat on top of soup, tacos, or potatoes as a replacement for sour cream.


9) Peanut butter!

Seriously, do I have to explain? When I was anorexic I didn't eat peanut butter. Three years of my life, three years worth of peanut butter consumption, down the drain. What the heck?! Yeah it's got a lot of fat, but it's healthy fat, and when eaten in moderation (which in my opinion is about 4 T per day, and depends on how much other fat you are consuming) it's just fine! The Smart Balance brand has flaxseed oil in it for added Omega-3.


10) Lindt's 85% dark chocolate

Another one of my favorite night time snacks. I eat 2 squares of this stuff every night. Since it's 85% cacao, I'm fairly certain this dark chocolate is providing me with a decent amount of polyphenols (a phytonutrient that may benefit the heart). When it comes to dark chocolate, don't be fooled, as their is no legal definition of dark chocolate so companies can write it on their labels either way. One taste of this stuff (Lindt's 85%) and it's pretty clear that it is actually dark chocolate, and not just chocolate that has been made darker.....Isn't it great what food companies can make you believe?!

Question: What are your top five favorite sources of dairy, healthy fat, and sweet indulgences?

Coming Up

Tomorrow I will be posting my Biggest Loser review (did you watch?!) and also a "Nutrition Tidbit" regarding flaxseed. On Friday, or later next week, I will provide my list of favorite supplements and sweeteners. Now I'm off to finish the Bachelor. We stopped half way through on Monday because we were both really tired. I can't believe we managed to wait this long to finish!!

Thanks for reading, and have a great night/day!

Gina's "Superfoods" (First 5 of 10)

When I first started blogging, one of the first posts I wrote was focused on my "must have foods", which included frozen vegetables, avocado, SOYJOY, and tuna! It's no wonder no one commented on that post, what a random list. I do still eat those foods, but they are no longer part of my "must have foods". Here is my new list, which I now call my "Superfoods":

1) Quinoa

It's easy to prepare, full of high quality protein, gluten and wheat free, and of course very tasty. I add this to soups, use it as a side, or eat it with sauteed vegetables. Quite honestly, the possibilities are endless when it comes to this whole grain.

2) Steel Cut Oats OR Oat Bran
I never thought I would turn into a hot cereal girl, but now I'm hooked. These two products have between 5-6 grams of protein, and 4-6 grams of fiber, per serving. They are both whole grains, which means they also contain healthy phytonutrients.


3) Popcorn
Indeed Julie, I did include popcorn! This is my g0-to nighttime snack, on most days of the week. I like to add garlic, a bit of salt, and sometimes cinnamon (thanks to Julie's suggestion). Three cups of popcorn is one serving of whole grain (you should get between 3 and 6 servings of whole grains per day, depending on your dietary needs). Popcorn is also a good source of fiber, with 3 grams per 3 cups.



4) Sweet potatoes

I still can't believe I used to only eat these in the form of fries (which, of course, is a wonderful form, it just gets old after a while). After reading the posts by Abby for quite some time, and reading about the goodness of a simple sweet potato, eaten whole, and not made into chips or fries, I found myself hooked. Now I literally keep cooked sweet potatoes in my fridge so I can just grab and eat one on the run. I even like them cold!

1 medium sweet potato has about 100 calories, 4 grams of fiber, 37% DV vitamin C, and over 400% beta carotene (antioxidant)

5) Kale
Originally I bought kale to make into "cooked kale", with canned tomatoes and garlic (a lovely side dish), but now I like to switch it up and make kale chips on occasion.
1 cup of kale, on average, provides 40 calories, 3 grams fiber, 2 grams protein, over 350% DV vitamin A (in the form of beta carotene), and about 85% DV vitamin C. But most importantly, it doesn't give me gas, yeah!

Question: These are my top five fruits/veggies and whole grains, what are some of yours?

Coming up

Tomorrow I'll finish my list, obviously I won't leave you hanging. For now, I'm off to watch the Biggest Loser! Nick better not lose in poker again tonight, because if he does I'm making him watch it with me. Muahaha

Thanks for reading everyone, and have a great night/day!