Spinach - it's like a miracle drug

Ok, so I admit to being a semi-nutrition nut. My intentions are always good, but I'm not always the best behaved. If I could "have it my way" (note the throw back Burger King reference) I would want my body to only have all fresh fruits, vegetables and nuts. I believe that's how we we were created to eat (per the Bible) but then man created macaroni and cheese. And pizza. And french fries. Yuuuuum.

So when I do eat, I try to learn about what my body needs and what it is getting from what I am putting in my mouth. (Once you wrap your mind around the fact that you are putting this stuff inside a vessle that makes your run and works to keep you healthy and out of pain, you do start caring.) So my recent facination?? Super Spinach!!

Admission - I don't think I ever knowingly ate spinach till maybe a few years ago. The connotation is just bad. After trying a few recipes, I LOVE it!!

Do you realize spinach is a good source of iron, vitamins A, C, K B1, B2, B3, B6 and E? It also contains foliate, fiber, calcium, selenium, zinc, phosphorus, potassium, omega-3 fatty acid.  That all means that it helps protect from certain cancers like stomach, skin, breast, prostate, ovaries and colon. It increases cardiovascular health and prevent heart attacks and strokes. If that's not enough to convince you, it also helps in asthma and arthritis. That's plenty of reason to indulge in the versatile veggie. It's like a miracle drug that God had packaged up just for us!

Here are a few ideas to add it to your diet!

My morning breakfast, I have this every day:
Banana Strawberry Smoothie
Blend:
4 ice cubes
1 banana
1/2 cup almond milk
1/2 cup strawberry, low fat yogurt (if you are really good, Greek yogurt or dairy-free)
1/2 cup spinach leaves
Ignore the weird, freaky green color. It tastes exactly the same as it would if it were a beautiful, strawberry red color. I promise. So yummy and jammed FULL of nutrients your body goes "Yum nom nom" when you drink it.

My current favorite home-by-myself indulgent dinner:
Eggplant Lasagna 
Layer the following twice in a small, oven proof dish:
3 tbsp marinara sauce
1 1/4 inch thick slice eggplant
1/4 cup chopped mushrooms
1/4 cup chopped spinach
2 tbsp shredded part-skim mozzarella

Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.
Serve with toasted sliced hamburger bun topped with olive oil and garlic
And all that's only 450 calories! The nutrition you get from it is unreal!

Straight from my momma's kitchen, she eats this at least once a day:
Patti's Special Spinach Salad
Plate of spinach leaves (we enjoy the leaves from the produce section as opposed frozen or canned...ew.)
Top with:
chopped granny smith apples
chopped almonds
feta cheese
craisins
Raspberry Vinaigrette

Side note: Mom and I are convinced you just need to find the natural things that are closest to their original state and throw it on a salad plate. Primative, yes. Your body will love you for it though

I know some people say eating healthy is expensive, and it can be. I look at it as more of an investment in your body, you can't go out and buy a new one. Plus if you give your body what it needs, you aren't as hungry all the time.

Adjusting to the full flavors of fresh food is a challenge, our culture is so use to bland, similar flavors. Be open to something different! I didn't always enjoy eating veggies, but I honest to goodness started praying that God would line my tastebuds up to what my body needed. I still enjoy my ice cream, but I think fully understanding why we are eating and what the food does to help our bodies makes it so much more enjoyable!

Disclosure: I'm not a cook by any means. Sometimes I enjoy it, but not often. I just thought I would pass along some ideas, please share if you have some of your own!


Interested in more? Love this book...
http://www.skinnybitch.net/
Oh, and this movie...
http://www.foodincmovie.com/

Just for Me Moments

If you have never experienced a special “just for me” moment from God, you are missing out and not truly experiencing the relationship that Jesus died for us to have. From the time I was ten, I had no bigger dream then to swim with wild dolphins. (Reach for the stars, I know. Hey, I was ten!) At age 12, I went out on a dolphin excursion in Destin, Florida with my family and a few family friends. We had numerous dolphins swim up along side of the boat and catch the waves, jumping and letting out their cute “e-e-e” call.  Seeing them jump and open their blowholes was the coolest experience. After anchoring the boat and jumping in at a few different spots, the smart mammals continuously swam off. They were a little skittish.

We were getting towards the end of our tour and I remember mom looking at me and said, “Would it be ok if we just got a really cool picture?” I nodded. A little disappointed, but understood. The appeal of it all was they were wild and they did what they wanted. Mom looked to the sky and said, “OK God, you heard us.” Moments later a dolphin swam right up to the side of the boat, stood straight up, let out an “e-e-e-e-e-e” and swam off. I got my picture.

That was my first time I remember experiencing a “special me” moment. The cool thing about those moments is they are so subtle it’s easy to say they are “coincidence.”

What’s cool is they are little things that sometimes only God knows about you. It’s like the still small voice. It’s easy to miss if you aren’t conscious of God’s presence and personality. It’s how He knows my smallest desires and makes them happen. Just because he knows it will makes me happy. All the crazy things going on in the world and He thinks to do those little things. How can anyone say “God forgot about me”?

Fast forward to my second anniversary trip to Grand Turks and Caicos with my hubby and best friend. We are staying at the all-inclusive, and pretty amazing, Club Med resort and decided to try the snorkeling. I almost bailed on it, the water was choppy and Lisa, the snorkeling guide, stressed ONLY expert swimmers and those with a strong stomach. We were going to have to swim to the boat because the weather was too bad to dock it. They hadn’t had to do this in over four months. Of course I start wondering if I am considered an “expert swimmer.” I broke a school swim record in high school and was captain of the team but still was freaked out. I looked around and everyone else probably had their AARP cards so I figured to give it a go.

            I stand back and watch everyone swim to the boat, two woman get knocked down and disappear in the waves, reappearing 100 yards down the beach. Another man gets pulled under the current. For a moment I think I hear circus music playing in the background.

            We finally are on the boat and headed out to sea when I see a dolphin do a huge leap in front of the boat. “JOJO!” JoJo is the dolphin that swims around the island. He is considered a National Treasure in Grand Turns and Caicos and everyone hopes to catch a glimpse of him. Everyone jumps up to see him and he swims in the breaks all the way to our diving point. He stays around and Lisa lets us know he will play with us if we don’t reach for him. She hands me a toy rattle for him and I am the first to jump in.

            To say this experience was exciting is being reserved. JoJo swam up to me and we circled each other for a while. He played with the boat anchor and sang to it. He then came back and we circled the boat, I would kick my legs and he would mimic me and kick his fin. I would turn on my side and he would turn on his. I was near tears by the time we had to load on the boat and head back. I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect, cool experience. It was like God tailored it for just me.  After sixteen years, He still remembered and knew those things about me that even I had forgotten about. That’s what’s so cool about God. He doesn’t forget.