Suzy Eats

Please check out www.tonyapeele.com

It is a great site about simply eating better. Tonya is a Certified wellness coach, and I recently did a guest post about ways to incorporate the Mediterranean Diet into your life.

http://tonyapeele.com/blog/2011/03/01/3-tips-to-incorporate-the-mediterranean-diet-into-your-life/

Have you noticed that products are getting smaller and prices are either going up or staying the same? Well you are right! There are quite a few articles that have been released supporting this: (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92426936) (http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/business/consuminginterests/blog/2008/03/less_is_more.html)  (http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2008-06-11-shrinking-sizes_N.htm) (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25570106/ns/business-consumer_news/)

With the economy, many manufacturers have reduced the sizes of their packages and kept the prices the same. What does this mean??? You may have to buy more and you definitely end up paying more for less.

Below are some tips to try and save money the next time you are at the grocery store.

1. Shop Alone: Shopping with children usually adds a few extra items to your cart.
2. The highest priced items are usually located at chest level. Reach up or kneel down to SAVE.
3. Purchase frozen veggies in packages for $1.00. They are healthier than the canned and cheaper.
4. Do not buy frozen prepared meals. It is cheaper and healthier to make your meals and freeze them on your own.
5. Do not shop when you are hungry. This will add more items to your shopping cart.
6. Buy your cheese in bulk and shred it on your own and store it in the refrigerator.
7. Make your own pizza. Pizza dough and sauce costs ~$1.75. I will post a recipe soon to help with this. 
8. Freeze your meals and reheat them for lunch throughout the week.
9. Do not buy soda. Soda increases your waist line and your bill at the grocery store. Soda is not part of the Mediterranean diet and is a source of health troubles for many. By eliminating soda, some people have lost up to 20 pounds.
10. Buy in-season produce or plant a garden.

What is your favorite tip? Do you have any tips for our readers??

We all have a favorite….so what is yours?

What do you like to put on your bread MARGARINE, OLIVE OIL or BUTTER?

As mentioned in the previous blog (http://suzyeats.com/category/healthy-living/), pomegranate is a fruit that you should try to eat each week. It may also be a fruit that many have not yet tried.

You can find pomegranate at your local grocery store. You may also find the seeds in a container or the juice. But, as I mentioned previously, the seeds are more nutritious than the juice.

The pomegranate seeds are loaded with antioxidants, vitamin C, fiber and potassium. They are great for vomiting or diarrhea to help replenish potassium. You can eat the seeds directly or add them to different meals such as hummus or salads. Another key aspect is that they are low in calories. You can even make a Pomegranate Martini (http://www.oprah.com/food/Oprahs-Pomegranate-Martini).

One complaint about pomegranate is that it is quite messy to eat. Below I have listed below a four step process to make it mess-free.

Step 1: Cut of the crown of the pomegranate, and cut it into sections where the skin is thick to minimize damage to the seeds.

Step 2: Place pomegranate in a bowl of cold water. Submerge the pomegranate in the water and gently pry it open into sections to pull the seeds out. (the seeds will sink to the bottom and the skin will go to the top of the water).

Step 3: Throw away any extra pieces of skin and skim off anything extra. Leave only the seeds in the water.

Step 4: Take seeds out of the water and place onto a paper towel to dry. You can refrigerate the seeds for 3-5 days in an airtight container and they will remain fresh.

ENJOY you low calorie, highly nutritious snack!!!

Do you have another method to eat a pomegranate??? Let us know.

Is this your first time or are you an experienced pomegranate eater ?? 🙂 Let us know

The Mediterranean Healthy Way 🙂

Eating healthy is an everyday choice. It is not something that we can do just once in awhile but rather something that we should do each day. There are 6 Mediterreanean Foods that you should have in your kitchen and enjoy each week. These foods can add years to your life and make you look younger. Now that is definitely Mediterranean Healthy 🙂

#6 Almonds- I am talking about raw almonds (uncooked, not smoked) RAW almonds. They are great for health. They provide a high amount of protein which is especially useful for vegetarians. They also are a great source of fiber, folic acid and other key vitamins. I recommend have about 1/4 cup each day if possible. If you do not like the taste, try placing them in the refrigerator. It is an old Mediterranean trick and some say that they taste better cold.

#5 Tomatoes- Tomatoes are a fruit that we all need in our diet!! I have received questions as to which type of tomato is best (i.e. cherry, plum, etc). But it really does not matter. I advocate for any type of tomato as long as it is a tomato. They contain lycopene which is important in protecting the heart  and can also protect against cancer.

#4 Garlic- I have discussesd the health benefits of garlic in a couple previous posts (http://suzyeats.com/2011/02/fresh-garlic-or-powdered-garlic-difference/) and (http://suzyeats.com/2011/02/ellens-favorite-garlic-it-should-be-your-favorite-too/) . So all I would like to stress here is that garlic is important (why? read the previous posts 🙂 ). Overall, it is great for your health and it a Mediterranean staple that we should all eat each week. 

#3 Spinach or a Jute plant( http://suzyeats.com/2011/01/jute-plant-mulukhiya-mediterranean-healthy-no-more-aging/) They are low in calories and high in vitamins and nutrients. Spinach is a key vegetable that contains numerous antioxidants and is helpful to fight infection and protect immunity. Popeye instantly had muscles after eating his spinach.

#2 Pomegranate- This fruit is delicious!!! Yes, its messy but it is a key for our well being. I definitely recommend the fruit over the juice but if you are not able to eat the fruit or do not have the patience to break it open than the juice is a nice substitute.

#1 Olive Oil-  Olive oil is a wonder oil. It clears out our arteries and tastes delicious. It can be used for cooking, for the skin and even to clean. It is important to store olive oil in a dark tin container as a light bottle may cause the chemical structure to break and some of the important health benefits may dissipate.

Eating these foods each week will definitely help you look and feel younger 🙂