To provide easy access to the freshest produce possible for residents while supporting the local farm community and healthy living. We firmly believe that total health stems from surrounding yourself with healthy lifestyle options, most importantly healthy food.
Ok so we know it may seem like a LOT of info is being provided in this blog…and you are RIGHT! This blog is filled with SO much useful info regarding everything from delicious recipes, health and fitness tips, and anything there is know about fruits and veggies to what Amy’s Fresh Delivery is all about, who we are, our green living….ect.
SO as guide to you….the best way for YOU to find what you WANT….use the links on the right side of the page under “categories.” A simple click of a button will pull up any post we ever wrote about that topic…and in chronological order. GENUIS!! Yes, we thought so ourselves.
Now it’s time for you to ENJOY our posts. Let us know how you feel….make comments on whatever you want to! Do you have a great healthy recipe you think others would like? SHARE it with us! Or maybe you just heard a really cool fun fact about a veggie or fruit…tell us!!!! Or maybe you just want to stop by and say HI…we would LOVE that too. This blog is all about YOU! Let us know what you think.
Now go EXPLORE for yourself!
8 servings, about 1 cup each
Active Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or parsley
8 cups chopped broccoli (stems and florets)
2 cups water
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, “no-chicken” broth (see Note) or vegetable broth
1/2 cup half-and-half (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Preparation
1.Heat butter and oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat until the butter melts. Add onion and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 6 minutes. Add garlic and thyme (or parsley); cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 10 seconds.
2.Stir in broccoli. Add water and broth; bring to a lively simmer over high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a lively simmer and cook until very tender, about 8 minutes.
3.Puree the soup in batches in a blender until smooth. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.) Stir in half-and-half (if using), salt and pepper.
Tips & Notes
Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Note: Chicken-flavored broth, a vegetarian broth despite its name, is preferable to vegetable broth in some recipes for its hearty, rich flavor. Sometimes called “No-Chicken Broth,” it can be found with the soups in the natural-foods section of most supermarkets.
from eatingwell.com
Carrots
Look for: Orange, firm spears without any gray, white or desiccated residue on the skin. The greens should preferably still be attached.
Prep: Peel; cut off greens.
Microwave: Cut carrots into 1⁄8-inch-thick rounds. Place in a large glass baking dish or pie pan. Add 1⁄4 cup broth (or white wine). Cover tightly and microwave on High until tender, about 3 minutes.
Roast: Preheat oven to 500°F. Cut carrots in half lengthwise then slice into 11⁄2-inch-long pieces. Spread on a baking sheet or in a pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Coat with 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil. Roast, turning once halfway through cooking, until beginning to brown, about 15 minutes.
Sauté: Cut carrots into 1⁄8-inch-thick rounds. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add carrots; stir and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon sugar; stir until glazed.
Steam: Cut carrots into 1⁄8-inch thick rounds. Place in a steamer basket over 1 inch of water in a large pot set over high heat. Cover and steam for 4 minutes.
I love the website hungry-girl.com. She provides so many low fat and DELICIOUS recipes. This one is a special recipe for Mom’s Day. Enjoy!
Stuffed-with-Love Strawberries
Entire recipe: 173 calories, 4g fat, 309mg sodium, 30g carbs, 3.5g fiber, 16.5g sugars, 5.5g protein — PointsPlus® value 5*
A super-creative, crazy-delicious recipe that’ll totally impress any mom. (And who doesn’t want to impress Mom?)
Ingredients:
1/2 tbsp. Jell-O Sugar Free Fat Free Vanilla Instant pudding mix
1/2 tbsp. Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated), or HG Alternative
1 drop vanilla extract
1/4 cup Cool Whip Free (thawed)
2 tbsp. fat-free cream cheese, room temperature
6 extra-large strawberries
2 tsp. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine pudding mix, sweetener, vanilla extract, and 1 tbsp. cold water. Stir vigorously until smooth and slightly thickened. Stir in Cool Whip and cream cheese until smooth.
Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 10 minutes.
Slice the stem ends off the strawberries, about 1/2 inch, revealing an opening in each berry. Use a narrow spoon to remove about half of the flesh inside each berry, allowing room for filling.
Spoon pudding mixture into a bottom corner of a plastic bag; snip off the tip of that corner to create a small hole, and pipe the mixture through the hole into the strawberries.
Press chocolate chips into the exposed filling. Serve and enjoy!
MAKES 1 SERVING
HG Alternative: If made with an equal amount of granulated white sugar in place of Splenda, this recipe will have 194 calories, 35.5g carbs, and 22.5g sugars (PointsPlus® value 5*).
Facts about broccoli:
Broccoli is one of America’s favorite everyday vegetables: affordable, always available and densely packed with the plant nutrients essential to healthful, Mediterranean-style eating.
Known as calabrese to the Italian immigrants who brought it to the New World, broccoli delivers bright flavors and an array of vitamins and minerals—a consequence of eating hundreds of tiny, tightly furled miniature flower buds in every bite. The florets of broccoli (derived from the Italian word brocco, for “shoot” or “stalk”) provide rich doses of vitamins A and C, along with some easy-to-absorb calcium.
Broccoli also packs a dense dose of phytonutrients into every bite, with the most interesting of the bunch being sulforaphane, found in all cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, cauliflower, mustard greens and other plants in the mustard family). Sulforaphane gives these vegetables their characteristic odor, but also protects the body against cancers of the lungs, colon and stomach, and in addition kills the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, the major cause of stomach ulcers.
Try the tasty recipe below!
Mediterranean Roasted Broccoli & Tomatoes
Ingredients
•12 ounces broccoli crowns, trimmed and cut into bite-size florets (about 4 cups)
•1 cup grape tomatoes
•1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
•2 cloves garlic, minced
•1/4 teaspoon salt
•1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
•1 tablespoon lemon juice
•10 pitted black olives, sliced
•1 teaspoon dried oregano
•2 teaspoons capers, rinsed (optional)
Preparation
1.Preheat oven to 450°F.
2.Toss broccoli, tomatoes, oil, garlic and salt in a large bowl until evenly coated. Spread in an even layer on a baking sheet. Bake until the broccoli begins to brown, 10 to 13 minutes.
3.Meanwhile, combine lemon zest and juice, olives, oregano and capers (if using) in a large bowl. Add the roasted vegetables; stir to combine. Serve warm.
Nutrition
Per serving: 76 calories; 5 g fat ( 1 g sat , 4 g mono ); 0 mg cholesterol; 7 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 3 g protein; 3 g fiber; 264 mg sodium; 328 mg potassium.
from eatingwell.com
Brussels Sprouts
Look for: Tight, firm, small deep-green heads without yellowed leaves or insect holes. The sprouts should preferably still be on the stalk.
Prep: Peel off outer leaves; trim stem.
Braise: Place sprouts and 1 cup dry white wine in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cover and braise until tender, about 7 minutes. Remove sprouts with a slotted spoon; increase heat to high, add 1 teaspoon butter and reduce liquid to a glaze. Pour over sprouts.
Microwave: Place sprouts in a large glass baking dish. Add 1⁄4 cup broth (or water), cover tightly and microwave on High until tender, about 6 minutes.
Roast: Preheat oven to 500°F. Cut sprouts in half. Spread on a baking sheet or in a pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Coat with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Roast, turning once halfway through cooking, until browned and tender, about 20 minutes.
Steam: Place sprouts in a steamer basket over 2 inches of water in a large pot set over high heat. Cover and steam until tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
Coffee can keep you awake. This can be the desired effect, but if it hampers your ability to sleep when you want to, give it a miss. While coffee has all kinds of cool benefits, none of those are as beneficial as sleep. During the various stages of sleep, our body releases many powerful regenerative hormones, making it the greatest natural performance aid around. Furthermore, a 17-year-old study out of England, featuring 10,000 participants, showed those who cut their sleep from seven hours a night to five or less faced a 1.7-fold increased risk in mortality from all causes and more than double the risk of cardiovascular death. Sleep first. Then, consider a cup of java.
“Insert your favorite flavor”-accino doesn’t make it coffee. For millennia, coffee was consumed in small cups and, perhaps, enhanced by a touch of sugar or milk. Only since the Starbucks® revolution, has it been possible to order what was formerly a cup o’ Joe and have it delivered as something that was formerly a milkshake. The majority of most coffee house menus are filled with items that aren’t really coffee, but rather coffee-spiked dessert. Coffee and tea have zero calories. A spoonful of sugar and dash of milk contain around 40 calories. The average drink at Starbucks contains 300 empty calories or more, turning most people’s conception of coffee into something closer to soda. So before ordering your next Choco-Vanilla-accino-Frappé, consider that even one soda a day greatly increases the risk of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
It’s a magic elixir. And now for some good news. A 20-year-old study that followed some 84,000 women and 44,000 men concluded that coffee had a bevy of benefits. Published in the May 2, 2006, issue of Circulation, the study concluded that drinking coffee isn’t harmful to cardiovascular health, as had been long assumed, and may even be beneficial. From Harvard Health, “The latest research has not only confirmed that moderate coffee consumption doesn’t cause harm, it’s also uncovered possible benefits. Studies show that the risk for type 2 diabetes is lower among regular coffee drinkers than among those who don’t drink it. Also, coffee may reduce the risk of developing gallstones, discourage the development of colon cancer, improve cognitive function, reduce the risk of liver damage in people at high risk for liver disease, and reduce the risk of Parkinson’s disease.
Coffee has also been shown to improve endurance performance in long-duration physical activities.” Need I say more? I’m just getting started . . .
Coffee can reduce the pain of exercise. An article published in the April 2009 edition of the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism shows that coffee can kill some of the pain associated with rigorous exercise. “Caffeine works on a system in the brain and spinal cord (the adenosine neuromodulatory system) that is heavily involved in pain processing,” said Robert Motl, kinesiology and community health professor at University of Illinois. These results seemed constant whether or not the subjects were habitual caffeine drinkers. So much for the knock on caffeinated pre-workout supplements!
You’re less likely to get type 2 diabetes. It’s not all about caffeine. A slew of studies report that coffee lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes. The July 6, 2005, issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association looked at data from many of them and concluded that their findings were, indeed, true. One of those, from the February 2006 issue of Diabetes Care, found that decaf lowers the risk of diabetes as well, suggesting that something other than caffeine is likely responsible.
It can increase your sports performance. This probably isn’t too surprising since, for many years, caffeine was on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s banned substance list. Coffee increases many processes in the body that can lead to better performance. Among its ergogenic (performance enhancing) benefits are better mental focus, increased ability to use fat as fuel (which spares your glycogen stores), and increased ability to release calcium stored in the muscle, leading to greater power output, not to mention the one I referenced in number four. And you don’t need a trucker’s mug to do it. Studies at the Australian Institute of Sport report that athletes get the full caffeine effect with as little as 1 milligram of caffeine per kilogram of body weight, or about 1 cup of coffee for an average human.
Coffee makes you smart. A study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition in August 2006 followed 676 healthy, older men from Finland, the Netherlands, and Italy for 10 years and measured their cognitive function. Those who drank coffee had lower rates of age-related cognitive decline than those who didn’t, with maximum protection seen in men who drank 3 cups of coffee a day.
You’re less likely to get prostate cancer. Men are advised to have regular prostate cancer testing done once they hit the not-so-ripe-old-age of 40. Turns out, coffee is one of your greatest allies in the fight against it, especially when you drink a lot of it. A 2006 study conducted on 50,000 men over a 20-year period concluded that those who drank coffee were 60 percent less likely to develop aggressive prostate cancer. And here’s where tea drinkers might listen up too. “Caffeine in coffee doesn’t seem to be the link, since the same reduction was seen for consumption of decaffeinated coffee,” stated Kathryn Wilson, a research fellow in epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health. “It has something to do with insulin and glucose metabolism. A number of studies have found that coffee is (also) associated with a reduced risk of diabetes.” It’s also worth noting that 6 cups a day seemed like the magic number, as that’s where the risks were lowest. A follow-up in 2011 has further confirmed this study.
Six is the magic number for cancer. In 2007, almost 94,000 women participated in a study that found that those who drank caffeinated coffee daily had a 10 percent lower risk of nonmelanoma skin cancer, while those who drank 6 or more cups daily had an almost 40 percent reduction in risk. This time, caffeine seems like the key, as researchers were able to uncover the mechanism by which caffeine helps lower the risk. Caffeine molecules were already known to behave as a natural sunscreen, but they also found the stimulant to have a positive effect on DNA.
Coffee reduces your chance of having a stroke. I raise your six and give you eight. A 2008 study of more than 26,000 male smokers in Finland found that the men who drank 8 or more cups of coffee a day had a 23 percent lower risk of having a stroke than the men who drank little or no coffee. Other reports suggest the effect applies to healthy nonsmokers, too. This was backed by researchers at UCLA and USC who examined data on coffee consumption and stroke prevalence among more than 9,000 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. At a 2009 conference, they reported that the likelihood of having a stroke was highest among people who didn’t drink coffee and lowest among those who drank the most coffee: 5 percent of people who drank 1 or 2 cups a day suffered strokes, whereas 2.9 percent of people who drank 6 or more cups suffered strokes. So much for moderation.
from beachbody.com
I got these tips from hungry-girl.com. Listed are some great super market finds, party ideas, and recipes!
Best Ready-to-Go Store-Bought Finds
Evol. Mini Burritos
1 burrito: 180 – 190 calories, 3 – 4g fat, 310 – 360mg sodium, 28 – 32g carbs, 2 – 4g fiber, 0 – 1g sugars, 7 – 8g protein — PointsPlus® value 4 – 5*
Burritos are good, and small-sized foods are always fun. Plus, these things are pretty low in calories — perfect as a snack or mini-meal. And they come in three varieties, including a meatless one. Track down some of the freezer-aisle items here, or stock up for next time by ordering online.
Wholly Guacamole Double Dip
2 tbsp.: 35 calories, 2.5g fat, 115mg sodium, 2g carbs, 1g fiber, 1g sugars, 0g protein — PointsPlus® value 1*
This guac topped with a layer of spicy pico de gallo is an AWESOME party-ready find. In fact, there’s pretty much a Wholly Guacamole product for every need. Eating guac by yourself and don’t want to overindulge? There are 100 Cal Snack Packs. Like it hot? There’s a Spicy flavor. Only eat organic? They’ve got organic guacamole. Find WG goodies in the refrigerated produce section of your local supermarket. Heads up: This product is being repackaged as Wholly Salsa Guacamole & Spicy Pico dip, so look for that label later this month.
Guiltless Gourmet Yellow Corn Tortilla Chips
1 oz. (about 18 chips): 120 calories, 3g fat, 250mg sodium, 19g carbs, 2g fiber, 0g sugars, 2g protein — PointsPlus® value 3*
Tortilla chips are a fiesta-time necessity; less necessary is all the fat that typically comes with conventional crisps. So chomp on these! Yellow Corn is our go-to variety for classic tortilla-chip flavor, but there are MANY other kinds from which to choose: Unsalted, Blue Corn, Mucho Nacho… even Spinach Artichoke Parmesan! Click, locate, and chew accordingly.
Sinless Low Calorie Cocktail Mixes
3 oz.: 5 calories, 0g fat, 0mg sodium, 2g carbs, 0g fiber, 0g sugars, 0g protein — PointsPlus® value 0*
Looking for a super-simple way to whip up calorie-slashed margaritas and more? These just-add-alcohol mixes ROCK. The stevia-sweetened sippers come in Margarita, Strawberry Margarita, and Sweet & Sour. And they taste FANTASTIC. Sweet, slightly tart, and all-around delicious. Click here to track down a bottle for this weekend, or order some online for future celebrations.
HG’s Cinco de Mayo Supermarket Staples!
When it comes to the building blocks of DIY, guilt-free, Mexican-style goodies, there are a few key items. Cheese tops the list — reduced-fat Mexican-blend and fat-free cheddar shreds are ideal for topping off chili, fajitas, and more. Beans are crucial, especially black beans and fat-free refried beans. You’re also gonna want tortillas; 6-inch corn tortillas are great for soft tacos, and these fiber-loaded flour tortillas are perfect for burritos. Taco shells are a must for crunchy tacos — the flat-bottomed finds are the way to go. Salsa is essential — we LOVE the black-bean-and-corn varieties. Finally, if you want to skip the ground meat in your meal but not the beefy taste, meatless ground-beef-style soy crumbles are a great solution — click here for the 411.
Sarah H.
There are a lot of great ideas listed below. I may even try some for myself! from parents.com
Think whole — whole grains and whole fruits. These breakfasts will pump your preschooler full of nutrients that provide lasting energy and promote healthy weight.
Fruity Oatmeal
Good news, moms! Instant oatmeal counts as a whole grain and has all the health benefits of steel-cut and old-fashioned varieties — it’s high in cancer-fighting antioxidants and also lowers the risk of heart disease. Make this in a jiffy: mix 1/4 cup one-minute oats or one packet instant oatmeal with bananas, raisins, or coconut flakes. Let your preschooler choose the fruits so she feels like she has control over her breakfast. “I make this five times a week for my kids,” says Kelly Eldridge, a mom in Ashburn, Virginia.
Protein-Rich Burritos
Lots of fiber combined with lots of protein is filling and can provide energy for up to four hours. “When my son started preschool, he was hungry before lunch, so I pumped up the protein,” says San Francisco mom Patty Royall. “I make him a burrito with a whole wheat tortilla rich in fiber (at least 5 grams), organic cheese, and a soy sausage link.”
Yogurt Dippers
“Kids who love carrots and dip might like to dip apples or strawberries into yogurt,” says Rose Dunnington, author of Big Snacks, Little Meals. Cut fruit into small chunks and have your child dip them into 1/4 cup plain yogurt. Serve with a side of protein, like a small handful of nuts or a couple of slices of turkey bacon
Ants on a Log
Spread almond or cashew butter on a banana sliced in half lengthwise, and top with raisins or dried cranberries. Serve with a 4-ounce yogurt
Rainbow Pancakes
“Since both my kids go wild for pancakes, I’ve started blending fruits and vegetables into the batter to make different colors,” says Ondine Gibbs, a Berkeley, California, mom. Try carrots, mangoes, blackberries, or raspberries. Follow pancake instructions, subbing pureed fruit or veggies for water and milk. (Mix 1 tablespoon water with batter until you reach the desired consistency.) If using carrots, peel and slice about 2/3 cup, then steam or boil for about 20 minutes. Serve with a turkey sausage patty.
Jazzed-Up Pizza
There are endless spin-offs of traditional pizza. Spread 2 tablespoons fruit jam or nut butter on a small whole wheat pita (leaving a “crust” at the edges), and top with sliced bananas or strawberries. Or use a base of half a whole-grain English muffin, and add cream cheese and almond slices. Another idea: top a pancake with scrambled eggs and slices of chicken sausage.
Veggie 4: broccoli
Look for: Sturdy, dark-green spears with tight buds, no yellowing and a high floret-to-stem ratio.
Prep: Cut off florets; cut stalks in half lengthwise and then into 1-inch-thick half-moons.
Microwave: Place stems and florets in a large glass baking dish. Cover tightly and microwave on High until tender, about 4 minutes.
Roast: Preheat oven to 500°F. Spread on a baking sheet or in a pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Coat with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Roast, turning once halfway through cooking, until tender and browned in places, about 10 minutes.
Steam: Place stems in a steamer basket over 2 inches of water (with 1 tablespoon lemon juice added to it) in a large pot set over high heat. Cover and steam for 2 minutes. Add florets; cover and continue steaming until tender, about 5 minutes more.
Beets
Look for: Small beets with firm, dark ruby or bright orange skins.
Prep: Peel.
Microwave: Cut beets into 1⁄4-inch-thick rings; place in a large glass baking dish or pie pan. Add 1⁄4 cup water, cover tightly and microwave on High for 10 minutes. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes before serving.
Roast: Preheat oven to 500°F. Cut beets into 11⁄2-inch chunks. Spread on a baking sheet or in a pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Coat with 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil. Roast, turning once halfway through cooking, until tender, about 30 minutes.
Sauté: Heat 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Grate beets into the pan using the large-hole side of a box grater. Add 1 minced garlic clove. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add 1⁄3 cup water and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook until tender, about 8 minutes.
Steam: Cut beets into quarters. Place in a steamer basket over 2 inches of water in a large pot set over high heat. Cover and steam until tender, about 15 minutes.