Meatless Monday: Strawberry Spinach Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Today is Meatless Monday! What is Meatless Monday? "Meatless Monday is an international campaign that encourages people to not eat meat on Mondays to improve their health and the health of the planet."

Here's a delightful Meatless Monday recipe for you to try:
 
Strawberries are in season! This is a delicious way to enjoy them.

Strawberry Spinach Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients

1 bunch fresh spinach
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Combine the spinach, strawberries, and almonds in a large bowl.
2. Stir the balsamic vinegar and honey together in a bowl; slowly stream the olive oil into the mixture while whisking continuously. Season with salt and pepper.

Drizzle the dressing over the salad just before serving.

Recipe and photo by Chrisetta Mosley

Chew: Real food

You can trust what I'm about to say. After all, I use to live inside the box -- the processed food box. Now, that I happily live outside of the box.  I can tell you the truth: Real food tastes better, is better for you, and it makes you feel satisfied sooner and longer.

Yesterday, I sat down to eat the gorgeous salad I made for myself: Baby spinach leaves topped with wheat berries, sliced red and orange peppers, feta cheese, and drizzled with a freshly made lemon vinaigrette. Yum! After about five good bites I was full. Probably because I had to actually chew. Raw spinach is roughage. Wheat berries are whole grains (the germ, bran, and endosperm) little chewy kernels that require you to really chew.  BTW, I'm in love with wheat berries.

When I use to eat boxed, processed food I could chow down and eat tons of that crap. Most of the time I would eat way more than the recommended serving. Yet, never feeling satisfied. I just ate and ate. The more I ate, the more crappy and sleepy I felt. At my heaviest -- 388 pounds I use to fall to sleep while driving. Ticking time bomb, for real. But, at the time I didn't realize what was happening. Now, I see that I was drugged from all the crappy processed food. The more I ate, the more I craved. I was trying to feed a hunger that I could never satisfy. It was a hard addiction to break, but I've successfully done it. I've changed my eating patterns, and I prepare and eat fresh whole food.

I love the way I feel. I never feel tired and crappy like when I gorged on boxed, processed food.  Food is suppose to fuel our bodies so that we have energy to perform not make us feel crappy and tired. And, we shouldn't have to eat large portions of food to reach satiety.

Though, I'm a journalist by trade right now I'm acting as a blogger. Sometimes I feel bad because I throw heavy issues out here and don't fully explore them. I hope I pique your interest enough where you want to seek more information.

Go forth, chew real food and seek more information. You'll see, I'm right.

Sneaky like that

As I was making my breakfast the other morning I relished how colorful my plate was. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and since I'm on a mission to live healthier -- I make my breakfast count. 

A typical breakfast for me consists of: eggs, spelt toast, vegetables (broccoli, asparagus, spinach or cauliflower) and half of a grapefruit. By starting my morning with veggies and fruit I'm well on my way of getting my recommended servings in for the day. Yup, I'm sneaky like that.

Eating Healthy Never Tasted So Good

I served this delightful heart-healthy meal for dinner last night. Wild-caught Salmon grilled to perfection with a homemade honey ginger glaze served atop fresh baby spinach sautéed in Extra-Virgin Olive Oil and garlic with plum tomatoes and a squeeze of lemon juice. Salmon is chock-full of Omega 3 fatty acids and spinach packs a punch with vitamins A, K, and calcium. No guilt here just pure indulgence.

Go Green…

…with your diet! I have and I love it. I’ve retrained myself to make better food choices and it starts with the vegetables I choose. Now when I eat I think about the effects the food I’m eating will have on my body. Basically, I make a concentrated effort to eat food that will do my body good. It’s like the gas you choose for your car – if you fill your gas tank at ---- your car will be running on very little gas and quite a bit of crude.

So when picking vegetables, green vegetables are the best choice for your diet. Green veggies pack tons of nutrients, are ideal for weight management as they are typically low in calories, and most are easy to prepare.

Let’s take a look at some popular greens:

Arugula has a peppery taste and is rich in vitamins A, C, and calcium. Arugula can be eaten raw in salads or added to stir-fry, soups, and pasta sauces.

Broccoli has both soft florets and crunchy stalks, and is rich in vitamins A, C, and K, folate, and fiber. Broccoli can be eaten raw or steamed, sautéed or added to a casserole.

Collard Greens have a mild flavor and are rich in vitamins A, C and K, folate, fiber, and calcium. The best way to prepare them is to boil them briefly and then add to a soup or stir-fry. You can also eat collard greens as a side dish. Just add your favorite seasoning and enjoy!

Dandelion Greens have a bitter, tangy flavor and are rich in vitamin A and calcium. They are best when steamed or eaten raw in salad.

Kale has a slightly bitter, cabbage-like flavor and is rich in vitamins A, C and K. Kale is tasty when added to soups, stir-fries, and sauces.

Mustard Greens have a peppery or spicy flavor and are rich in vitamins A, C, and K, folate, and calcium. They are delicious when eaten raw in salads or in stir-fries and soups.

Romaine Lettuce is a nutrient rich lettuce that is high is vitamins A, C, and K, and folate. It is best when eaten raw in salads, sandwiches or wraps.

Spinach has a sweet flavor and is rich in vitamins A and K, folate, and iron. Spinach tastes great eaten raw in salads or steamed. (My all time fav – my nickname should be Popeye).

Swiss Chard tastes similar to spinach and is rich in vitamins A, C, and K, potassium and iron. It is best stir-fried or eaten raw in salads.


Did You Know? Dark green leafy vegetables are good sources of many vitamins and minerals your body needs to stay healthy, such as vitamins A, C, and K, folate, iron and calcium. They are also great sources of fiber. Research suggests that the nutrients found in dark green vegetables may prevent certain types of cancers and promote heart health.

Source: CYWH Staff at Children's Hospital Boston