5 Ways to Use Nutritional Yeast

Nutritional yeast is one of the only non-animal sources of Vitamin B-12 (and it only takes 1/2 - 1 tbsp to get in your recommended daily dose)!  Nutritional yeast is also an excellent source of iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, chromium, and other minerals as well as 18 amino acids, protein, folic acid, biotin, and other vitamins. OH, and it tastes DELICIOUS!  For you non-dairy eaters who are missing that cheesy flavor, give this a whirl.

Check out these 5 ways to use nutritional yeast to upgrade your meals!

1.  Sprinkle onto some plain popcorn for a cheesy touch.

2.  Use in place of cheese on a home-made pizza (or on top of our Socca Pizza Bake from this week).

3.  Saute' veggies and give a few shakes of nutritional yeast (especially on some of those less palatable greens!).

4.  Use in place of bread crumbs on any recipe to cut out the gluten/carbs.

5.  Mix in with your mashed potatoes (or our Buttery Mashed Cauliflower).

Top 3 Most Nutrient Dense Foods

NUTRIENT DENSE KALE

Ever heard of the ANDI scores?  No, I'm not talking about Olypmics or doping results.  Aggregate Nutrient Density Index (or ANDI) is a scale that measures vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and antioxident capacities on a scale of 1-1000.  (One being the lowest and 1000 being the highest amount of nutrients possible.)  Created by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, these scores are based on:  Health = Nutrients/Calories.  For example, that Snickers bar in your freezer would be a 1. Without giving you an exhaustive list of nutrient dense foods that get the most bang for your bite, I give you...the short list.

Top 3 ANDI (Nutrient Dense) Foods:

1.  Kale:  ANDI Score = 1000 (This is like gold medal, winner of the all-around, top dog food.)
2.  Collards:  ANDI Score = 1000
3.  Bok Choy:  ANDI Score = 824

Give our Szechuan Broccoli over Herbed Rice a try this week!  Kale AND Bok Choy - double whammy on your ANDI Scores.

CONVENIENTLY NATURAL SZECHUAN BROCCOLI

How To Eat For Optimal Energy

On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your energy level?  If it's somewhere between "I'm-Alive-Because-I-Have-a-Pulse" and "I-Caffeinate-to-Feel-Normal," then read on!

In our prior blog post, I told you that not all calories are equal...that it's not just what we eat that counts, but what we are able to use from what we eat. In order to feel better, lose weight, or heal a failing digestive system, we must free up energy.  Simply eating a whole foods (unprocessed), plant-based diet provides us with an optimal energy level, but we can also deliver foods in a certain order based on how it digests in our bodies.

Speed is the name of the game here.  Imagine a Porsche Panomera (I know Brian does!), a Honda Odyssey minivan, and one of those horse-drawn carriages on the Plaza.  Now imagine a one-lane highway during rush hour. Who would you want going first...second...last...creating the most efficient traffic flow?  

Your goal for optimal energy is to get nutrients to absorb quickly and the rest of the food to pass through.  Eat the lightest food items first and finish with the heaviest food items.  Fruit and vegetables pass through the stomach quickly (20-40) minutes. Starches may take a few hours.  Proteins are the slowest moving.  (A steak can take 2-3 days.)  Therefore, for optimal energy, eat fruit first (preferably on an empty stomach), then veggies, and so on.  Contrary to our belief about eating a big breakfast laden with protein, this can actually dam up our digesti on and cause a traffic jam!  Our carnivore friends are advised to eat meat at the end of the day which also allows time (overnight) for the food to move out of our stomachs.

Are All Calories Created Equal?

I'm a left-brained bottom-line girl who drools over spreadsheets, but even I can't bring myself to count calories throughout the day.  Perhaps because this takes the joy out of eating for me or that I don't want to take the time OR because I know that NOT all calories are created equal!

Consider this:  Two people who consume the same 2,000 calorie-a-day diet.  One we'll call Whole Food Harry who eats fresh fruits and vegetables, a variety of nuts and beans, combined with unprocessed rice, quinoa, and buckwheat.  The other we'll call Malnourished Molly who eats deli turkey sandwiches on low-cal bread, fat-free pretzels, 'skinny' popsicles, and an array of diet beverages and fat-free cappucinos.  Are they equally healthy? Heck, no!

Have you ever seen a nutritional label on a head of broccoli?

Many people try to eat small portions of low-nutrient foods and end up feeling hungry and deprived most of the time (all while wasting precious brain time counting calories).  Most processed food is incredibly calorie-dense, but low in fiber and nutrients so it's difficult to not overeat.  It's not just about what we eat that counts, but what we are able to use from what we eat.  In other words, we have to digest foods properly and completely to absorb the nutrients.  Most of us walk around with imperfect digestion, therefore, not getting the full amount of nutrition from our foods.  

Ditch the processed junk that tempts you with its appeal for being ever-so-convenient!  Stop counting calories and eat real food!  

Why Did the Chick-N Cross the Road?

Q:  Why did the chick-n cross the road?

A:  To get away from the MSG (Monosodium Glutamate), HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup), and PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) (an anti-foaming chemical used in caulks, sealants, and filler for breast implants)!

Many this week have gathered in protest of Chick-Fil-A and many have gathered in long lines in support of Chick-Fil-A Appreciation Day.  Whatever your beliefs about traditional or gay marriage may be, please support the consumption of real food!  According to Chick-Fil-A's menu on their website (click here), their Classic Chicken Sandwich is hardly chicken.  MSG promotes neurological damage, PDMS is an anti-foaming chemical used in caulks, sealants, and filler for breast implants, and HFCS (and the GMO corn it was made from) promotes gout and kidney stone formation, destroys your liver, and contributes to diabetes, obesity, and aging.

Exercise your right to EAT REAL FOOD!!