Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Healthy and Hearty Spinach Avocado Pitas

This is a great tasting, hearty and nutritious sandwich - and simple to prepare!

¼ lb. tofu
2 C. torn or baby spinach leaves
2 tomatoes, diced
1 large avocado, diced
2 Tbs. sesame seeds
4 large whole grain pita breads
Alfalfa sprouts
Hummus

* Cut tofu into ¼" slices.
* Pan-fry with a small amount of olive oil until lightly browned.
* Season with salt, pepper, herbs, etc.
* Cool and crumble in mixing bowl
* Stir in spinach tomatoes, avocadoes and sesame seeds.
* Half and open pita bread.
* Fill pita pockets with combined mixture, alfalfa sprouts and hummus.

This recipe is from Super Wraps and Sandwiches.... for the Healthy Leaner Lifestyle series. To pre-order this book, go to http://erleentilton.com/store.htm .

For your best health,
Erleen Tilton

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Pure and Healthy Baby Food

It's not always easy to make or find good organic baby food that you can trust. But if you are looking for a good brand, here's a good one created by Arian Hatch in Arizona.

Please go to: http://purebabyfood.blogspot.com and check it out!

For your best health,
Erleen Tilton

Monday, October 15, 2007

Are You Coping With Eating Disorders?

Each year, more than 5 million Americans are affected by serious and often life-threatening eating disorders which include anorexia, bulimia, compulsive eating, obesity, binge-eating, and more.

Though every age group and gender is affected, women in particular are targeted and suffer in many ways. It might surprise you to know that:

* Most women in the US and in other countries hate their figures.
* It is estimated that approximately 65% Americans are overweight.
* It is reported that approximately 300,000 people die prematurely every year because of obesity in the form of heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, and more.
* Reports also show that approximately 300,000 teens under the age of 18 have corrective body surgeries yearly.
* Air brushing is a standard $60,000 computerized procedure for a magazine cover to remove blemishes, lift cheekbones, restructure the jaws and/or nose, increase the bust line, slim the hip line, and create the "perfect" woman that doesn't really exist (the woman on a cover magazine may only be a computerized constructed figure).
* Many teens and women perceive these figures and models as real and become dissatisfied with their own bodies, even if at a normal weight.
* Many, many women suffer with low self-esteem. And though we may teach them principles of fulfilling their inward selves, becoming who they are spiritually and mentally, and focusing less on their outward appearance, the truth of the matter is that it is the nature of women (and all) to feel good physically and to look good physically not only to themselves - and especially themselves - but also to others.

It's time to address the real issue and work to solve it. The real problem begins with the fuel we put into our bodies. If we put an equally comparable poor grade of fuel into our automobiles as we do our bodies, our cars wouldn't drive more than a mile past the gas station. They would sputter to a halt! Our bodies cannot and will not function properly without the right nutrients that are only found in good wholesome foods. As long as we fill our bodies with 'man-made fluff' and 'genetically modified taste bud pleasures', we will end up with one eating disorder or another.

It is important to understand that women will never feel good about themselves mentally and emotionally unless they feel good physically. Why? Our emotional, mental and physical health all greatly depends on the proper nutrients that only come from pure grade fuel. God has given us the means through his pure and perfect creations: pure water, raw foods, whole grains and legumes (beans), raw nuts, etc. These provide us with that pure and perfect fuel our bodies need to function optimally. If we don't get these in abundance - and few people do - then we have petitioned for dysfunction, disorder and disease. Research continues to prove that less than 5% of d iseases and disorders are hereditary conditions.

Eating disorders specifically stem from a vicious cycle that needs to be understood:
1) Most or our diets come from highly processed foods from: advertised sales at the supermarket, fast food restaurants, and convenience stores.
2) Because these foods are depleted of vital nutrients, we crave more and eat more.
3) Because we overeat, we put on extra pounds and begin to feel emotionally stressed and depressed.
4) This creates feelings of body hatred, needing to diet - though diets deprive us and we end up putting on more weight.
5) We go out in public and see too many obese people - then we see the billboards and magazines with cute, slender bodies, and we become dissatisfied with our own bodies.
6) We try every fad diet (though none of them are effective in the long run), we become more depressed and that can spur us towards bulimia and anorexia, or binge-eating, compulsive eating, and obesity.
7) Its down hill from there!

The exciting news is that there are concrete solutions! There is a way to avoid eating disorders as well as reverse them, but it will only happen if there is a willingness to follow some very important steps:

1) Understand that you have the capability and the power within you to become healthier, and reach a weight that is right for your body that you can be happy with.
2) There will need to be willingness to make permanent changes - yes permanent, in order to have permanent success!
3) Understand that there are foods that work with your body to heal, nourish, cleanse and energize - creating health and vitality. These foods come straight from nature - from God in the way he created them: basically raw fruits and vegetables, whole grains and legumes (beans and pea family), raw nuts and seeds, and more. Vitamins and minerals are the key fuel factors.
4) Understand that there are foodless foods - those that are man-made refinements and reconstructions that are only capable of causing chemical reactions and thus pollute, toxify, and clog the body - creating sickness, disease, and disorder. Foods void of vitamins, minerals, fiber and other elements are just fillers - useless to the body.
5) Commit to filling your body with pure fuel - those foods that create health and vitality. You will not only heal yourself physically and get to your desired weight naturally, but you will also heal any emotional and mental disorders as well.

These are key, yet simple steps for success - and you can do it. However, if you desire help in getting you on the right path with concrete solutions and direction for long term results, then the Women's Health Retreat is the place for you.

See http://erleentilton.com/healthretreats2.htm for the Women's Health Retreat, or
See http://erleentilton.com/healthretreatsC.htm for the upcoming Couple's Health Retreat

I want you to succeed - why? Because I know there are a lot of unhappy women, men, and children out there that are not only suffering, but they are suffering needlessly because they either don't know where the answers are, or don't know the steps to take or have the confidence to proceed. If you are one of these, then get the help you need now.

I know that you - like many others - can succeed!

For your best health,
Erleen Tilton

Thursday, October 04, 2007

Increase Nutrition with Herbs and Spices

Most of us don't know:
1) the difference between herbs and spices
2) the food value of herbs and spices

The difference between them is: herbs are the leafy green parts of the plants, while spices are the bark, root, or seeds of plants. Herbs come either powdered or in flakes (rosemary powder, parsley leaf), while spices may come whole, powdered or granulated (caraway seed, cayenne pepper, granulated garlic).

Herbs and spices add great flavoring to many of our foods, and are what create ethnic uniqeness. For example, what would Mexican foods be without chili powder or cumin? And what would Italian food be without fresh basil, garlic, oregano, and others?

People often down-play "doctoring up foods" with herbs and spices, however, they do contain valuable nutrients. Many herbs and roots added to our foods increase the nutritionaly content of the foods we are eating. Adding margoram, ginger, cumin and others increases our antioxidants. Fresh herbs are especially high in nutrients and are most beneficial when generously added as a last minute garnish rather than cooking them with the foods.

So go ahead! Add fresh or dried herbs and spices generously to your foods for added nutrition and increase in antioxidants!

For your best health,
Erleen Tilton

Tuesday, October 02, 2007

Simple Dinner Ideas with Beans!

Legumes are a great food – full of protein, fiber and nutrition. With a simple pot or two of beans, you can basically put together a full week of nutritious meals – quickly and simply! Here’s how!

CROCKPOT COOKED BEANS

It only takes 3 minutes of your time to get your beans cooked using this twenty-four hour method. You just start it one evening to be ready to eat the following evening for dinner. Place 2-4 cups dry beans (pinto, black, navy, kidney, adzuki, etc.) in a crock pot, add 3 times more hot or boiling water (example: 3 cup beans to 9 cups water). Cook on high for the first several hours, then on medium or low for the remaining time adding more water as needed (crock pots do vary, so you may need to adjust cooking time and temperature). It’s best to wait and add salt and seasoning to the beans within 30 minutes before serving.

Here are some great dinner ideas to use the beans:

1) Seasoned Beans – just add salt, pepper or dried red pepper, minced garlic, chopped onion, etc. and serve with cornbread or bread, and fresh cut vegetable sticks.
2) Chili Beans – add salt, 1-3 tsp. chili powder or taco seasoning to taste, plus a package of crumbled tempeh, Soyrizo (soy chorizo), or Veggie Ground (available at health food stores); serve with cornbread or rolls, and fresh cut vegetable sticks.
3) Layered Taco Salad - layer on individual plates: baked corn chips, cooked pinto or black beans, diced avocado, chopped red bell pepper, green onion, chopped lettuce, sliced black olives, salsa or hot red pepper sauce, guacamole, and whatever else you like.
4) Black Bean Stacks – layer on individual plates: cooked brown rice, cooked black beans, shredded lettuce, diced avocado or guacamole, chopped red bell pepper, sliced black olives, chopped green onion, alfalfa sprouts, chopped cilantro, salsa or hot red pepper sauce, and whatever else you like.
5) Bean Burritos or Wraps - mashed and seasoned pinto beans in a whole wheat tortilla wrap with alfalfa sprouts, guacamole, salsa or hot red pepper sauce, diced purple onion, diced red bell pepper – with cut veggies on the side, as desired.
6) Pasta, Bean, Veggie Stir-Fry – cook a 12-16 oz. package whole grain pasta spirals (Tinkyada, brown rice spirals, or Eden, Kamut vegetable spirals are great); lightly stir-fry your favorite vegetables (diced purple onion, diced red bell pepper, broccoli florets, snow peas, etc.); add your favorite cooked and drained beans (black, kidney, pinto, adzuki, cannelloni, etc.); stir-fry with the drained pasta; season with salt, garlic, pepper and more; serve with a green salad!
7) Baked Potato Bar: Open potatoes on individual plates; top with Seasoned Beans or Chili Beans (see #1 or #2), then top with chopped green or purple onion, diced red or green bell pepper, sliced black olives, fresh cut corn, diced avocado, chopped parsley, or whatever you like.
8) One Pot Bean Stew: Follow the Crockpot Cooked Beans recipe using only 2 cups dry beans; 30-40 minutes before mealtime, add 2-4 C. water (depending on water amount on pot already), bouillon or broth seasoning, salt and any other seasoning. Add any of the following: diced potatoes, diced carrot, chopped onions, diced garlic, sliced zucchini or yellow squash, cut asparagus, cut green beans, broccoli florets, cut corn, or whatever you have and like. Simmer for 20-30 minutes, and serve with a green salad.

To learn more about how to put great healthy meals on the table in about 10 minutes, contact me to book your own workshop this month at contact@erleentilton.com.

For more great dinner ideas, see Creatively Complete Dinners.... for the Healthy Leaner Lifestyle series. To pre-order this book, go to http://erleentilton.com/store.htm .

For your best health,
Erleen Tilton