Easy Gluten-free Holiday Grape Salad

Over the last few weeks I've been brainstorming a Christmas dinner menu.

Easy Gluten-free Holiday Grape Salad, Photo by Angela Tague

It's a given I'll make my decadent creamy mashed potatoes, a few green veggies, corn casserole, homemade rolls, something for my meat-eating guests, a lentil loaf, homemade candy, a few desserts and a tray of appetizers.

As I made out my list I realized one key food group was being sorely neglected.

Fruit!

On Thanksgiving cranberries get loads of attention in sauces, stuffing and chutneys. Apples make an appearance in pie and salads.

But what fruit is popular at Christmas? Sugar plums? Are those even a real thing?

So, this year I've decided I'll whip up my crowd pleasing simple grape salad. Its vibrant flavor is a refreshing contrast against the creamy, comforting potatoes and gravy. Plus, it only takes a few minutes to make. Delicious AND easy? Sign me up!

Healthy Holiday Grape Salad 

Photo by Angela Tague

Servings: 8-10 side dishes

• 2 heaping cups seedless red grapes, whole
• 2 heaping cups seedless green grapes, whole
• 1- 5.3 oz. carton of Chobani lemon blended Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Wash and pat dry both varieties of grapes. Place them in a pretty serving bowl. Stir in one carton of Chobani lemon blended Greek yogurt and sprinkle the walnuts atop the salad. Cover and chill the fruit until meal time, then enjoy!

Do you have a favorite healthy, whole foods fruit dish to serve at the holidays? Tell me about it in the comments below! I'm still working on the Christmas menu and might be persuaded to make a few more additions!

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living

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19+ Healthy Ways to Cook With Fall Apples

Fresh fall apples from the farm!

It's apple picking season!

A few weeks ago I plucked some plump, red fruit from the apple trees on my mom's farm. In addition to eating them as snacks, I've been trying to figure out what to do with all these apples!

Of course the usual fall favorites came to mind: apple pie, apple crisp, apple muffins.

Although those classics are super tasty, they're not the healthiest ways to use this seasonal whole food.

So, I made a big batch of applesauce lightly seasoned with honey and cinnamon -- and it's fantastic! To be honest, I also made one small pan of apple crisp. But, the rest of those apples will be gracing some of these amazing apple recipes I've collected on Pinterest:

Healthy Apple Recipes for Fall

Do you have a favorite fall apple recipe I should add to my Pinterest board above? Tell me the URL in the comments below and I'll check it out!

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living

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I Eat Too Much Fruit and Not Enough Fat

Who knew. Apparently I eat too much fruit. And vegetables.

Last week I downloaded a fitness app on my cellphone and started tracking my food, exercise and water intake. In less than 48 hours several things became very clear.

• You can eat too much produce.
• Fruits and vegetables are high in carbohydrates.
• I don't eat enough fat. (WHAT??)

So, as I begin this journey of really understanding my food, I'm completely blown away. Although I've had a healthy whole foods diet for several years, I never realized I'm not eating foods in healthy proportions. 

That means no more bowls of strawberries for lunch, I guess.

Has a health or fitness program helped guide your nutrition and health progress? I'm all ears! What did you learn? Why do you still use the program?

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living

Smoothie Basics: Easy as 1-2-3!

Smoothie! Photo: SXC.HU

I think my jaw dropped when a friend asked me how to make a smoothie. Really? Doesn't everyone know how to do this?

I guess since I make them almost daily I take the basics for granted. She mentioned putting a bunch of fruit in a blender, but it just didn't work. Well... no.

OK, so here's a basic 1-2-3 equation for making a great smoothie!

1 - You need a liquid. I like to use 100% fruit juice, homemade juicer juice, soy milk, almond milk or rice milk. Regular old cow milk is fine too. For one smoothie, start with 1 cup of liquid in the blender.

2 - Add frozen fruit. Why frozen? This gives the smoothie a cold, creamy texture without using ice cubes. Ice simply waters down the smoothie and doesn't add any nutritional value. I like to use strawberries, blueberries, peaches, bananas, mango, pineapple or raspberries. Add 2 cups of frozen fruit to the blender for one smoothie.

3 - Toss in extras. Now add some nuts, milled flax seed, honey, shredded coconut or whatever your want to give the smoothie a little extra flavor or nutritional boost. Limit this to 1-2 tablespoons.

Blend and taste! If it's too thick, add a little more liquid and blend again. That's it!

What do you like to toss in your smoothies? A few of my favorites are a Chocolate-Covered Banana Smoothie and a blend of several tropical fruits (pineapple, coconut, mandarin oranges and mango).

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living

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Food Adventures: My First Pummelo

Tangelo, Pummelo & Pear. Photo by Angela Tague

I enjoy trying new foods. Originally I planned to profile a new food for each day of the A to Z Challenge, but decided that during late winter in Iowa it wouldn't be too easy to find exotic produce at a reasonable price.

Then it happened; I stumbled upon what looked like a giant grapefruit at the grocery store.

It's called a pummelo and after a little research I found out it's the largest citrus fruit in the world. It can reach a whopping 12-inches in diameter. Pummelos are low in calories, fat free and rich in Vitamin C.

After I peeled away the 3/4-inch thick, spongy yellow skin, the inside of the fruit resembled a juicy grapefruit covered in a thick layer of white pith. The fruit has segments and pretty pink flesh. The flavor reminded me of a mild, sweet grapefruit that didn't need a sprinkle of sugar to taste good. Delicious!

Have you ever had a pummelo?

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living

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7 Guilt-Free Munchies for Snack Time

Nuts! Photo: SXC

I have the hardest time sticking to a healthy diet when I've got the munchies. I tend to grab whatever is close without thinking about how good (or bad!) it really is for me.

Over the weekend I fell off the healthy-eating cart at a birthday party and ate several handfuls of potato chips. They were greasy, salty--and delicious. Darn it.

OK, to keep me on track, and give you a few ideas, here's seven munchies that won't make you feel guilty later. Remember, the key to any snack is also moderation!

1. Roasted, unsalted nuts. My favorites are almonds and pistachios.
2. A sliced apple topped with natural peanut or almond butter.
3. A banana smoothie. Blend frozen banana slices and soy milk in the blender and sip!
4. Dried fruits processed without sugar. Try raisins, cranberries, papaya or banana chips.
5. A hard-boiled egg.
6. Low-sodium string cheese. Check out the new, weird cheddar/mozzarella twists!
7. Whole-grain pita chips and hummus.

What are your go-to munchies?

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living

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Bean, Beans The Musical Fruit...Wait, Fruit?

Dry kidney beans. Photo from Morguefile.

OK, sing along with me:

"Beans, beans the musical fruit!
The more you eat, the more you...."

We all know the rest of the rhyme. (And, I'm not interested in blogging about flatulence!)

However, I am curious about the claim that beans are members of the fruit family. Really? So, I put on my investigative reporter hat and found this little nugget of nutrition trivia.

Beans are members of the legume family. Other legumes include lentils, peanuts, peas and soybeans, according to The Bean Institute. The most popular bean consumed in the United States is the pinto bean.

My top five favorites ways to eat beans are:

• Boiling and mashing black beans with the juice of a fresh lime and chopped garlic to use on tacos
• Tossing several beans together and dressing it with a light Italian dressing for a summer salad
• Adding pinto beans to a pot of vegetable soup for extra protein
• Mashing garbanzo beans and using them in lieu of ground beef to make a veggie "meatloaf"
• Combining kidney, pinto and white beans as the base for a vegetarian chili

So, how do you like to eat beans?

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living

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How to Make Zest

Citrus fruits! Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

Want to add a burst of natural flavor and color to your cooking? Add zest! Lemons, limes, oranges and any other citrus fruits can be used to make zest.

How to Make Zest

1. Thoroughly wash a whole citrus fruit.
2. Use a peeler or pairing knife to trim slender, thin slices of the fruit peel. Be careful not to get the white underside of the peel known as pith. It has a bitter flavor.
3. Chop the peelings into tiny slivers (I believe chefs call this julienne) or small pieces.
4. Or, use the fine grating on a cheese grater to shave zest from the fruit peel. Hold the whole fruit against the grater and gently shave off the skin.
5. That's it! The zest is ready to use. If you have extra, store it in an airtight container and use it within a day or two before it dries out. 
   

Add Zest to Your Meal

Here are a few ways I like to add the fresh flavor of citrus zest to food.

• Sprinkle lime zest on a bowl of cranberry sauce at the holidays.
• Add lemon or orange zest to a sugar cookie recipe for a springy, refreshing flavor.
• Dust the tops of pancakes with powdered sugar and orange zest.
• Whisk citrus zest into homemade vinaigrette salad dressing.
• Garnish a chocolate cake or cupcakes with slivers of orange zest.

How do you enjoy your zest? Please comment below!

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living

PS: This may be the last day of the A to Z Blogging Challenge, but don't forget to drop by on occasion and see what I've got cookin'! Or, follow me on Twitter and Facebook and I'll let you know what I've been up to! :)

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Do You Eat Papaya?

Fresh, tropical fruits are generally not plentiful in Iowa. Our grocery stores do get pineapples, mangos and other warm-weather fruits delivered from exotic locations, but they never taste fully ripened or fresh. I suppose that's because they are picked before they naturally ripen, so they won't spoil during shipping.

Fresh papaya. Photo from Wikimedia Commons.

One of my local grocery stores carries an assortment of uncommon-to-the-midwest produce. Star fruits, fresh aloe vera, husked coconuts and papaya line the shelves. I think about grabbing one of these delicacies each time I visit the store. I like to broaden my food horizons whenever possible.

To play it safe, I picked out a fresh papaya today. I have eaten the sweet, orange fruit in tropical fruit mixes and pureed in smoothies. But, today was my first experience with a whole, fresh papaya.

After slicing the fruit in half, I scooped out the seeds and discarded them. Oh, I know they're edible but their peppery-pencil eraser type flavor didn't sit well with my taste buds. The orange flesh of the papaya was as soft as ice cream and incredibly sweet. Fresh papaya is much better than the canned tropical fruit variety.

After eating my fill of fresh fruit, the rest went into the refrigerator for more experiments. I'm thinking of indulging in a pineapple-papaya smoothie this evening as a snack.

Have you eaten papaya? Please share your favorite ways to eat this tropical delight!

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living

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Raspberry-Banana Smoothie



Fresh Raspberries
Photo from Wikimedia Commons

After I exercise, I like to indulge in a fruit smoothie. The natural sugars prolong my post-workout energy high. Plus, it's an easy way to get part of my daily fruit intake without lots of chopping, juicing or peeling.

Today I created a banana-raspberry smoothie. It's sweeter than most of the morning drinks I create, but it makes my sweet tooth happy!

Here's the recipe:

1 cup milk (use any kind you like: cow, almond, soy, etc.)
1 peeled banana, chunks
1/2 cup fresh raspberries, washed and whole
1 Tbs. raw honey
1 Tbs. milled flax seed
5-6 ice cubes

Place all ingredients in a blender and pulse until smooth and creamy. Enjoy!

Now, while you sip, here's how you're fueling your body. The banana serves up a healthy dose of vitamin B6, potassium and fiber. Plus, one banana only has 1 gram of sodium and helps prevent high blood pressure. The raspberries are full of skin-clearing antioxidants, vitamin C and dietary fiber. And, the Omega-3 fatty acids in the flaxseed reduces inflammation and blood pressure.
Drink up!
　

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela
Whole Foods Living

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Lovin' Limes

Try baking with fresh limes.
Photo by Hotblack, Morguefile.com

One of my favorite summertime flavors is lime. So, what's the first lime-flavored treat that comes to mind? For me, it's always key lime pie.

The tangy, creamy, cool pie somehow melts away the heat, humidity and better part of an afternoon. It isn't a quick pie to make when you're working from scratch.

My local grocery store had limes on sale 12/$1 and I just couldn't resist grabbing a few. Since I didn't have the time or patience to whip up a pie, I had to search for a new use for those limes.

I stumbled across a lime shortbread cookie recipe at the Land O' Lakes website that looked easy and tasty. I whipped up a batch in no time (using unbleached rice flour) and they were fabulous! Since I can't eat healthy all the time, this was a nice little homemade treat.

Next time I'm going to try substituting powdered stevia for the ultra-bad-for-me powdered sugar. What are you favorite lime recipes? I'd love to learn a healthier, yet sweet, lime concoction for the future.

Until Next Time!

Choose Healthy,
Angela

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What Does Vitamin C Do?

Strawberries are a whole foods source of natural vitamin C.
Photo by Mobius, Wikimedia Commons

When you feel a cold coming on, do you increase your vitamin C intake? If you reach for orange juice, strawberries or other vitamin C-rich whole foods, you're not alone. But, what does vitamin C do for the body and how do I know if I'm not getting enough?

Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, has not been proven to prevent or cure the common cold or flu, according to the Mayo Clinic. But, reaching for vitamin C rich foods will boost your overall health.

The powerhouse vitamin can reduce chances for developing cardiovascular disease and hardening of the arteries. Vitamin C also encourages body tissue growth and functioning, including the formation of connective tissues, collagen, elastin, fibronectin and fibrillin.

Medical professionals often recommend vitamin C supplements for those with cancer, AIDS, tuberculosis and other chronic illnesses. The vitamin expedites wound healing and assists the body in processing carbohydrates, fats and proteins.

If your body isn't absorbing enough vitamin C from your diet or nutritional supplements, you may notice an increased feeling of fatigue, depression, scurvy or muscle weakness. Tooth loss, oral bleeding and tender gums are another sign of vitamin C deficiency.

So, go ahead and load up on vitamin C-rich foods. Oranges, papaya, red bell peppers, strawberries, kale, grapefruit, broccoli and cantaloupe are natural whole food sources of vitamin C.

Sources and Suggested Further Reading:
Mayo Clinic: Ascorbic Acid (Oral Route)
 The Worlds Healthiest Foods: Vitamin C
NutraSanus: Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) Information
Drugs.com: Vitamin C Powder

Until next time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela
Whole Foods Living

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Healthy Chocolate Treat

Photo by Alvimann, Morguefile.com

I crave chocolate-- a lot. Instead of reaching for a high calorie, preservative filled candy bar, my new addiction is a "chocolate-covered banana" smoothie! This sweet treat came about one morning when I realized I was out of vanilla soy milk and rice milk. Hey, chocolate for breakfast is ok, right?

Chocolate-Covered Banana Smoothie

2 1/2 cups of organic chocolate soy milk

2 peeled bananas, broken into chunks

1 cup ice cubes

Place bananas and milk in a blender. Blend until smooth.

Add ice cubes and blend until no ice chunks remain.

Pour into a tall glass and enjoy!

Until next time,

Choose Healthy!

Angela

Whole Foods Living

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