Fruits & Veggies health Benefit

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Apples	Protects your heart	Prevents constipation	Blocks diarrhea	Improves lung capacity	Cushions joints
Apricots	Combats cancer	Controls blood pressure	Saves your eyesight	Shields against Alzheimer's	Slows aging process
Artichokes	Aids digestion	Lowers cholesterol	Protects your heart	Stabilizes blood sugar	Guards against liver disease
Avocados	Battles diabetes	Lowers cholesterol	Helps stops strokes	Controls blood pressure	Smoothes skin
Bananas	Protects your heart	Quiets a cough	Strengthens bones	Controls blood pressure	Blocks diarrhea
Beans	Prevents constipation	Helps hemorrhoids	Lowers cholesterol	Combats cancer	Stabilizes blood sugar
Beets	Controls blood pressure	Combats cancer	Strengthens bones	Protects your heart	Aids weight loss
Blueberries	Combats cancer	Protects your heart	Stabilizes blood sugar	Boosts memory	Prevents constipation
Broccoli	Strengthens bones	Saves eyesight	Combats cancer	Protects your heart	Controls blood pressure
Cabbage	Combats cancer	Prevents constipation	Promotes weight loss	Protects your heart	Helps hemorrhoids
Cantaloupe	Saves eyesight	Controls blood pressure	Lowers cholesterol	Combats cancer	Supports immune system
Carrots	Saves eyesight	Protects your heart	Prevents constipation	Combats cancer	Promotes weight loss
Cauliflower	Protects against Prostate Cancer	Combats Breast Cancer	Strengthens bones	Banishes bruises	Guards against heart disease
Cherries	Protects your heart	Combats Cancer	Ends insomnia	Slows aging process	Shields against Alzheimer's
Chestnuts	Promotes weight loss	Protects your heart	Lowers cholesterol	Combats Cancer	Controls blood pressure
Chili peppers	Aids digestion	Soothes sore throat	Clears sinuses	Combats Cancer	Boosts immune system
Figs	Promotes weight loss	Helps stops strokes	Lowers cholesterol	Combats Cancer	Controls blood pressure
Fish	Protects your heart	Boosts memory	Protects your heart	Combats Cancer	Supports immune system
Flax	Aids digestion	Battles diabetes	Protects your heart	Improves mental health	Boosts immune system
Garlic	Lowers cholesterol	Controls blood pressure	Combats cancer	Kills bacteria	Fights fungus
Grapefruit	Protects against heart attacks	Promotes Weight loss	Helps stops strokes	Combats Prostate Cancer	Lowers cholesterol
Grapes	Saves eyesight	Conquers kidney stones	Combats cancer	Enhances blood flow	Protects your heart
Green tea	Combats cancer	Protects your heart	Helps stops strokes	Promotes Weight loss	Kills bacteria
Honey	Heals wounds	Aids digestion	Guards against ulcers	Increases energy	Fights allergies
Lemons	Combats cancer	Protects your heart	Controls blood pressure	Smoothes skin	Stops scurvy
Limes	Combats cancer	Protects your heart	Controls blood pressure	Smoothes skin	Stops scurvy
Mangoes	Combats cancer	Boosts memory	Regulates thyroid	Aids digestion	Shields against Alzheimer's
Mushrooms	Controls blood pressure	Lowers cholesterol	Kills bacteria	Combats cancer	Strengthens bones
Oats	Lowers cholesterol	Combats cancer	Battles diabetes	Prevents constipation	Smoothes skin
Olive oil	Protects your heart	Promotes Weight loss	Combats cancer	Battles diabetes	Smoothes skin
Onions	Reduce risk of heart attack	Combats cancer	Kills bacteria	Lowers cholesterol	Fights fungus
Oranges	Supports immune systems	Combats cancer	Protects your heart	Straightens respiration
Peaches	Prevents constipation	Combats cancer	Helps stops strokes	Aids digestion	Helps hemorrhoids
Peanuts	Protects against heart disease	Promotes Weight loss	Combats Prostate Cancer	Lowers cholesterol	Aggravates Diverticulitis
Pineapple	Strengthens bones	Relieves colds	Aids digestion	Dissolves warts	Blocks diarrhea
Prunes	Slows aging process	Prevents constipation	Boosts memory	Lowers cholesterol	Protects against heart disease
Rice	Protects your heart	Battles diabetes	Conquers kidney stones	Combats cancer	Helps stops strokes
Strawberries	Combats cancer	Protects your heart	Boosts memory	Calms stress
Sweet potatoes	Saves your eyesight	Lifts mood	Combats cancer	Strengthens bones
Tomatoes	Protects prostate	Combats cancer	Lowers cholesterol	Protects your heart
Walnuts	Lowers cholesterol	Combats cancer	Boosts memory	Lifts mood	Protects against heart disease
Water	Promotes Weight loss	Combats cancer	Conquers kidney stones	Smoothes skin
Watermelon	Protects prostate	Promotes Weight loss	Lowers cholesterol	Helps stops strokes	Controls blood pressure
Wheat germ	Combats Colon Cancer	Prevents constipation	Lowers cholesterol	Helps stops strokes	Improves digestion
Wheat bran	Combats Colon Cancer	Prevents constipation	Lowers cholesterol	Helps stops strokes	Improves digestion
Yogurt	Guards against ulcers	Strengthens bones	Lowers cholesterol	Supports immune systems	Aids digestion

 

Crunchy Cocoa-Nana Butter Sticks

Approved by Team LIVE THE LIFE
Wednesday, June 8, 2011 Crunchy Cocoa-Nana Butter Sticks
The perfect summer treat...

INGREDIENTS:

½ banana
1 TB peanut butter powder
1 TB chocolate or vanilla protein powder
¼ cup multi-grain cold cereal
½ TB plain cocoa powder
1 egg white
2 TB fat free greek yogurt
2 full liquid droppers zero cal-carb sweetener of choice
1 shish-kabob stick

Combine and blend all ingredients together except for banana and cereal. Blend cereal to smooth flour like texture. Take two large flat bowls and pour wet mixture in one and blended cold cereal in second bowl. Take ½ banana and roll all sides in wet mixture followed by rolling banana in blended cereal. Cut kabob stick to 6 inches in length. Take kabob stick and insert into bottom third of banana. Drizzle remaining ingredients on banana. Lay flat on pan covered with one piece of tinfoil. Freeze overnight.

MAKES ONE BANANA STICK:
PER BANANA STICK: Cal: 166, Car: 23, Fat: 2, Pro: 15

Pavlova: King Arthur Flour

Pavlova: King Arthur Flour

Pavlova
MaryJane Robbins 2011-04-29

Pavlova is a light, elegant meringue dessert piled high with whipped cream and fresh fruits. Its dramatic presentation is perfect for special occasions such as weddings, showers, picnics, or even romantic dinners for two.

Baking this lightly sweetened meringue will barely heat up your kitchen, so it makes a grand treat in the heat of summer.

Meringue
3 large egg whites
pinch of salt
1 cup Baker's Special Sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Topping
1 1/2 cups heavy or whipping cream
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 cups fresh fruit (strawberries, blueberries, sliced kiwi, etc)

Directions
1) Preheat the oven to 200°F. Prepare a sheet of parchment paper by tracing a 9" round cake pan with a pencil to create a circle. Flip the paper pencil-side down and place on a baking sheet. You should still be able to see the circle outline through the paper.

2) In a large bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.

3) Combine the Baker's Special sugar and cornstarch and slowly add it to the whites, as you continue to beat. The mixture will thicken and turn glossy. Beat for about 1 more minute. Remove from the mixer and stir the lemon juice in by hand.

4) Spread the meringue on the parchment, staying within the circle. Use about 1 1/4 cups meringue to pipe a tall border around the edge of the meringue in the circle. When baked, this will form a ring to keep the cream and fruit from spilling over.

5) Bake for 1 hour. Turn off the oven and leave the door closed. Cool the meringue in the oven for at least another hour, or up to overnight. The pavlova will color slightly from white to light tan. Small cracks are normal.

6) Up to an hour before serving, combine the heavy cream with the confectioners' sugar and whip until thickened. Pile the whipped cream into the center of the cooled pavlova and top with sliced fresh fruit.

7) You can make the pavlova any size up to 9". Smaller pavlova make very romantic desserts for special dinners.

Yield: 1 large pavlova

Everyday Organic: Smooth move with a base of bananas

Everyday Organic: Smooth move with a base of bananas
By MaryJane Butters Published: May 26, 2011

I’m sure you know that old trick about freezing bananas that have seen better days. You hold onto them until the banana-bread bug bites and then embark on a marathon baking session.
Well, I’m a devotee of this method — it’s as if the freezer performs magic, transforming fruit that looks too ripe to touch into an exotic delicacy.

But bread isn’t the only thing that frozen bananas are good for. It makes an excellent any-smoothie base because it produces a rich, creamy texture that’s just like ice cream — but better.
Smoothies are a great way to boost your nutritional intake and still feel like you’re getting away with something. Liquids are easier to digest and frequently more appetizing than solid food when you’re rushed, sick, pregnant or just plain bored.

So grab your blender and let’s get started.
Drop in that banana, then add some frozen fruit. Berries, stone fruits, grapes, citrus and tropical fruit all contribute a tart, punchy kick that’s as intense and colorful as candy.
Now for the vegetables.
Yep, that’s right. Smoothies are a great way to use the fresh or frozen vegetables. It may sound scary, but don’t run screaming from the blender just yet.
Greens may have an impact on the color of your drink, but they contribute a fairly delicate flavor, especially alongside all that sweet fruit. So toss in handfuls of frozen vegetables such as peas, broccoli or spinach. Their natural sweetness will make the vitamin boost completely painless.
You can also boost nutrients in a smoothie by blending in a vitamin supplement, a scoop of wheat germ, a handful of nuts, a smear of nut butter, a chunk of fresh ginger, a drizzle of honey or maple syrup, or milled flaxseed, wheat germ or ground cinnamon.
Now pour in a little juice, water or yogurt to help it all liquefy. Then let ‘er rip.
Blend everything until smooth, and then taste a bit to see if you need to tweak the flavors or consistency.
There are no hard and fast ratios or recipes. Just experiment with what you have and what you know you like. Then get busy dreaming up your favorite, adventurous combinations.

Still feeling less than confident? Allow me to share a few of my favorite “non-recipes”:

Good morning • frozen banana, frozen peach, fresh ginger, fresh kale and apple juice.

Mid-afternoon reward • frozen banana, peanut butter, frozen peas, honey and plain yogurt.

Up before the sun • frozen strawberries, frozen pineapple concentrate, fresh carrots, orange juice and a squeeze of lemon.

Carrot cake • Frozen banana, fresh carrots, walnuts, wheat germ, cinnamon, maple syrup and plain yogurt.

Peanut butter • Frozen banana, peanut butter, frozen corn, vanilla extract and plain yogurt.

Feelin’ a little tart • Frozen blueberries, frozen broccoli (go easy) and cranberry juice.

Easy being green • frozen banana, frozen peas, frozen broccoli (go easy) and white grape juice.

Cherry pie • frozen cherries, frozen carrots, unsalted cashews, wheat germ, honey and almond milk.

Antioxidant punch • frozen strawberries, fresh spinach, almonds and pomegranate juice.

Case of the blues • frozen blueberries, frozen peas, plain yogurt and maple syrup.

Orange you pretty • frozen carrots, fresh ginger (go easy) and orange juice.

MaryJane Butters is the editor of MaryJanesFarm magazine.

Uncomplicated Fruit-Topped Yellow Cake

Uncomplicated Fruit-Topped Yellow Cake
By The Food Gal

Uncomplicated Fruit-Topped Yellow Cake

Indeed, this simple cake bears the name of “Uncomplicated Fruit-Topped Yellow Cake.” But I had a slight, uh, complication.

Oh, nothing major. Just a case of sinking blueberries. Not as dire as what happened to the Titanic, that’s for sure. But still, a little annoying.

After all, when the cake is described as “fruit-topped,” you figure the fruit will stay, well, on top.

Not in the case of these berries. But next time, I’ll just be sure to toss them in a little flour before adding them to the batter, even if the original recipe didn’t call for that step. And there will be a next time. Aside for the berries’ losing struggle to stay afloat, this cake was perfect. Tender, moist, like a giant blueberry muffin, actually.

The recipe comes from one of my all-time fave baking books, “The Weekend Baker” (W.W. Norton) by Abigail Johnson Dodge, who studied pastry-making at La Varenne in Paris.

The cake can be made with any manner of fruit, such as raspberries, sliced apricots, plums or — yes — blueberries.

Even if they end up sinking, all it takes is a swift movement of your fork to your mouth to get them in the right place.

Uncomplicated Fruit-Topped Yellow Cake

(Makes one 9-inch cake, or 8 servings)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon table salt

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs, at room temperature

2/3 cup whole milk

For the topping, choose ONE:

1/2 pint berries (blueberries or raspberries), rinsed and well dried (then, tossed in a little flour and set aside),

1 medium ripe plum, peach, apricot or nectarine, pitted and thinly slices,

or

1 medium ripe pear or apple, peeled, thinly sliced, and tossed with 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg or cinnamon

Position an oven rack on the middle rung. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9-by-2-inch round cake pan and line bottom with parchment. Lightly grease and flour parchment, and flour the sides, tapping out the excess.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk until well blended. In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer (stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or hand-held mixer) on medium-high heat until smooth. Add 1 cup of the sugar and beat until well combined. Beat in vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add half of the flour mixture and mix on low speed just until well blended. Add milk and mix just until blended. Add remaining flour mixture and mix just until blended.

Scrape batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Choose one of the topping options and arrange the fruit on top of the batter. Sprinkle with remaining 2 teaspoons sugar. Bake until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Transfer cake pan to a rack to cool for 15 minutes.

Run a knife around the inside edge of the pan to loosen the cake. Using a thick, dry dish towel to protect your hands, invert a large flat plate on top of the cake pan and, holding both the pan and the plate, invert them together. Lift the pan off the cake. Invert a flat serving plate on the bottom of the cake and flip the cake one more time so that the fruit is on the top. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Storage: Cover cooled cake in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 24 hours.

Adapted from “The Weekend Baker” by Abigail Johnson Dodge

Tropical Fruit Salad

Tropical Fruit Salad

Fruit salad is a light, sweet, and good-for-you summer salad recipe. Simply toss honey and lime juice with your favorite tropical fruits, and add flaked coconut. Feel free to use this recipe as a general guide, substituting your favorite tropical fruit as desired.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

2 cups (1-inch) cubed fresh pineapple
1 cup chopped peeled papaya or mango
1 cup sliced peeled kiwifruit (about 3 kiwifruit)
1 cup red seedless grapes
2/3 cup (1/4-inch-thick) slices carambola (star fruit; about 1)
1/4 cup flaked sweetened coconut
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl. Chill at least 30 minutes.

Combine honey and juice in a small bowl, and toss with fruit just before serving.

CALORIES 128 (13% from fat); FAT 1.9g (sat 1.3g,mono 0.1g,poly 0.2g); IRON 0.6mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 24mg; CARBOHYDRATE 29.7g; SODIUM 14mg; PROTEIN 1.1g; FIBER 2.9g

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2001

Sweet cantaloupe drink

Sweet cantaloupe drink serves 6-10

Summer wasn’t complete without this refreshing drink for me growing up. I remember my parents making this every summer. While the other kids had lemonade, my siblings and I had this sweet cantaloupe drink. Think of it as the Filipino version of the Mexican agua fresca. I hope it refreshes you as much as it did for us, and still does to this day!

1 ripe medium sized cantaloupe 1 lemon or lime, juiced about 6-8 cups cold water simple syrup to taste
1. Peel, seed and grate the cantaloupe into a large bowl, making sure to catch all the juice runoff. 2. Transfer to a large punchbowl or pitcher, add lemon or lime juice and cold water just so that it dilutes the melon juice and strings, adding more cold water if necessary. Add simple syrup to taste and serve ice cold with a spoon to scoop out the melon! A bruised mint leaf or two would be wonderful in this as well.

*There was another variation to this drink that my parents also made. Prepare the cantaloupe the same way, omit the citrus juice, add whole milk instead of water and sweeten with simple syrup. I have to have it both ways every summer! It makes a great breakfast drink!