Green Smoothie Recipe

If you were wondering how often I have a green smoothie, I make one each and every day for my breakfast. I am not too big on eating breakfast, in fact my smoothies keep me pretty full. I snack in between breakfast and lunch with a boiled egg and a nut bar (typically with peanut or almond butter).

I added the following in today's smoothie: oats, ground flaxseed, almond milk, spinach, 1 banana, 1/2 avocado, crushed pineapples, 2 prunes, a handful of blueberries, Greek yogurt, water & ice.

I don't share my various recipes because there would be a new one every day. But if you are interested in learning creative recipes, please feel free to email me at jennifer@food-mood.org.

Savings at Vitacost!

As you know, I am a huge advocate of Vitacost. It is where I purchase 95% of my vitamins and supplements for a low price. One of the main reasons why I shop online with this company is because they make it even more affordable by offering discounts on a monthly basis.

You'd have to sign up to receive the notifications, but head on over there now to take advantage of a slew of savings!

Dr. Oz: The Truth About Antidepressants

Dr. Oz is speaking out about antidepressants. This discussion is one that I pay very close attention to, mainly because I am a holistic mental health counselor.

To hear what Dr. Oz and guests have to say, tune in here. This is a four part video, please be informed.

Thanks for sharing, Lynn!!

Healthy Living at Houston Community College

A warm thank you goes to the faculty and staff who participated in Food-Mood's workshop on Nutrition and Wellness! I am extremely grateful and look forward to future collaboration!

Food in the News: Juicing vs. Blending

I thought I would share this article with you because it pretty much sums up my thoughts regarding "juicing vs. blending". I know that I shared with you my personal story on "green smoothies", but I thought this would be helpful as well.

Check out the article on Yahoo! News here.

Fresh Mango Salsa... Salsa with a twist!

I get asked often how to incorporate fruit into meals, other than salad. So last night, I decided to make a mango salsa because from time to time, I get bored eating tilapia. This goes back to my recommendation of being creative in the kitchen. Taking simple ingredients that you have in the fridge and sprucing them up! The photo that you see is of a lime-blackened tilapia that I made and forgive me, I did not record what I used. I'm sure if you did a Google search, you can find one that suits your taste.

Here's what I used for the salsa:

• 1 ripe mango
• 1/2 red onion
• 1/2 cucumber
• 2 tbs lime juice
• 2 tbs lemon juice
• 1 tsp of dried cilantro flakes (if you have fresh, its better)
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 dash of Mediterranean sea salt

Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl and served on top of the warm tilapia. 

My new favorite fish: Barramundi

I recently spent time perusing my local grocery store and because my taste buds wanted something other than shrimp, salmon, tilapia or crab...I reached for some Barramundi! I had never tasted this flavorful fish before, but I was ready to give it a try! One thing that struck me was the fact that Barramundi is Mercury free, which means you can eat it as often as you fancy. Also, oddly enough, this fish is born a male and then after 5 years or so, it becomes female. Pretty interesting, right?

Here are some health benefits:

• Full of omega-3s, which is a natural mood enhancer. Almost a 3rd more than Salmon.
• It is the vegetarian of the sea, meaning that it mostly eats a plant based diet.
• Free of mercury, so Zero toxins in your system!

The picture is of my grilled Barramundi, garlic mashed red potatoes, steamed asparagus and mushrooms. If you're interested in this recipe, please send me an email at jennifer@food-mood.org. It pairs well with citrus and garlic flavors.

Portion Sizes

One of the questions that I am asked often include the amount of food one should be eating, or "portion sizes". It's really quite simple, so I wanted to break down some of the rules as it relates to portion control.

• Meats: 3 oz. of lean cut meat = a deck of cards OR the palm of a woman's hand
• Vegetables = 2 handfuls
• Cereal/Oats: 1 cup = about the same size as a fist
• Salad: 1 cup of leafy greens = 1 baseball
• Fruits: 1/2 cup = 1/2 baseball / 1 fruit = 1 baseball
• Fats: I don't recommend margarine, so you'll make note that these are your essential oils (olive, canola, flaxseed, almond, coconut oils, etc) = 1 dice OR the size of your thumb

Click here to be directed to the Department of Health & Human Services. The organization has created a handy serving size card that anyone can print out and keep on their persons for quick reference. 

Mood Boosting Supplements: Milk Thistle

Surely you did not think that I was finished discussing supplements that can boost your mood? My list is pretty extensive, but I'd like to cover them over a period of posts.

Milk thistle is a flowering plant of the daisy family and can be taken in supplement form or sipped on in a herbal tea. It's history has been known to treat symptoms of depression and also known to remove toxins from the liver. A clean liver could mean a balance in your hormones. You wonder why you're moody? Well, it's because of all the toxins in your body! If you've been prone to have the blues, keep a box of Milk Thistle tea in your pantry for quick access.

Food-Mood

A question that I keep asking myself every time I post is, "where's the mental health component?". I want to be clear that mental health was and is my first passion behind Food-Mood, nutrition is secondary. I have learned in the field of mental health, that many people stray away from the term because of the stigma behind it. No one wants to talk about how they have schizophrenia, but everyone is quick to discuss and support their specific cancer.

There truly is no difference, as in, they both can be life-threatening. 

When I think of the term "mental health", I think of one's overall well-being: how they feel about themselves, how they balance life's daily stressors and how they manage the world around them. No one is void of "mental health", some are better at coping than others. Nutrition is a huge aspect of one's well-being. For example, a client who deems themselves unhappy and overweight can become happy once they lose the weight through a healthy diet.

My hope is to continue to bring awareness to mental health, and provide education on the benefits of proper nutrition as it affects your overall well-being. Balance is key.

Do you value your health NOW?

"Health is not valued till sickness comes." - Dr. Thomas Fuller

Food-Mood says, "Be PROACTIVE!!"

Ch Ch Ch...Chia!

I absolutely love Chia Seeds. As I have mentioned before, I do not drink dairy milk due to being lactose intolerant. But I have found alternative ways to gain adequate calcium intake and that has been through consumption of Chia Seeds. 3.5 ounce servings of Chia Seeds can provide about 630 mg of calcium which offers almost five times more than what milk can. Take a look at some of the other benefits of Chia Seeds:

• Decreases symptoms of AD/HD (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder)
• Natural Colon Cleanser / Toxins Eliminator 
• Ability to Prevent Cancer
• Eases Arthritis Pain
• Builds Immune System

Chia Seeds are hard, so I soak about 2 tbs in water overnight and keep them sealed in a container. Soaking them will allow for them to become soft and jelly-like for blending in my Nutribullet for my morning smoothies. I have only purchased and used Navitas Naturals.

Green Oatmeal Smoothie Recipe

I have been experimenting with variations of green smoothies lately. I oftentimes use oats if I want a thicker, more filling smoothie in the morning or after a workout. Today I made a delicious, yet simple green oatmeal smoothie. See what I used below:

Ingredients:
- 1 scoop of almond butter
- 1 handful of spinach
- 1 cup of oats
- Almond milk (how much you use is a personal preference)
- 2 tbs of ground flaxseed
- Ice

I placed all of the ingridients in my Nutribullet and blended away!

Why Cleanse?

The answer is because you have waste in your colon from foods that the colon was never designed to handle. Unnatural foods, junk foods, and chemically processed foods are just some of the waste that is still built up in your colon, begging to come out!

If you become a client of Food-Mood, one of my very first questions that I ask is "How many times a day are you moving your bowels?". This question alone may seen invasive, but it will tell me what types of foods you are putting into your body and most importantly how much of the right liquids you are drinking.

I was recently asked about the use of Colonics and though I have never had one myself, I have done research on them in the past and I know that it is a natural process, if done very sporadically. Without having had a colonic, the only way that I could visually describe the waste build up in one's colon was to imagine your bathroom sink pipes. I have dropped several earrings down my sink and have had to dismantle the pipes to find them. Inside the pipes, I found dirt along the pipe walls and overtime this dirt continues to build up, clogging the pipes so that water is unable to flow through properly. At that time, you may use draino or have to contact a professional plumber.

Now picture your colon in the same regards. You can maintain a healthy colon by cleansing it the natural/healthy way or you may be forced to pay your insurance company once disease and harmful toxins set in. It's really your choice.

Email me to learn how to naturally cleanse your colon, I am always very happy to answer any questions you may have! jennifer@food-mood.org

National Nutrition Month - Update

Today is April 1st and I want to be updated! If you've been reading the blog, you are probably aware that March was National Nutrition Month. I suggested doing something different for the month of March, as it relates to your overall nutrition. I'd love to know the success you had this past month.

Here's what ended up happening for me because as I re-read the post, I realized that I excluded meat completely from March 10-31. 

• During this time, I had absolutely zero cravings for chicken and with that I am completely shocked! Actually for the month, I had no cravings for anything except Salmon. 
• I also started adding Greek Yogurt to my morning smoothies to give me an added boost of protein. Doing so has gotten me in the habit and I actually prefer all of my smoothies to be blended with it now.
• I experimented with a vegan/vegetarian restaurant in Houston, called The Doshi House. It was amazing!
• I hosted an Arbonne party at my house to support a friend of mine who is a consultant. Arbonne is a vegan based company that promotes products from nutrition to skin care.  

So tell me, what did you do differently? What changes did you make to your diet that will last beyond the 31 days? Please share, I love feedback! 

Remember: healthy eating is a lifestyle change, it won't happen overnight or within 31 days. Be consistent and keep at it!