Suzy Eats

I definitely believe in a healthy diet, but in order to maintain good health, exercise is crucial. As part of my new “healthy” lifestyle, I am beginning a new exercise regimen. As a woman, cardio was something that was very important to me as it helps burn the most calories and protects against heart disease (the leading cause of death in women). Caloric intake is also the biggest determinant Read the rest of this entry »

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It has been awhile since I have regularly posted on Suzyeats.com, but there are many reasons for this. Let me explain 🙂

The first reason is that I was pregnant and with my pregnancy came the usual tiredness that all expecting moms experience. I thought it would resolve itself after the first trimester but then I was in a major car accident which affected my ability to cook/walk/stand for awhile. Thank God I have since recovered but then came other issues…..most notably was the diagnosis of preeclampsia.

Preeclampsia is when a pregnant woman develops high blood pressure and protein in her urine. It is one of the leading causes of death of a pregnant woman in the world, and the only treatment is the safe delivery of the baby. How did I get preeclampsia? ME? The person who reads every single ingredient on a food label BEFORE I make a purchase at the grocery store…the person who loves to eat “healthy” and encourages others to eat this way too. I am not really sure of WHY this happened. But, what I do know now is that I have preeclampsia or gestational hypertension and that I now take a daily blood pressure pill to manage my high blood pressure. (I am hoping to get off in the near future…)

I was induced at 37 weeks exactly due to my elevated blood pressure, which allowed me to meet my baby boy Jude and experience the best day of my life. Up until this point, I pushed for the Mediterranean Diet because I believed in it and saw that my family members lived long healthy lives because of it, but now everything has changed. I am now trying to manage my high blood pressure, and I believe this way will help me!!

I am going to start blogging again so please let me know if you have any specific recipes you would like or any specific health tips. Thanks for staying loyal to my site!! Please follow me on facebook or twitter 🙂

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I was asked by a national organization to begin to write recipes for people with diabetes. I am very honored to do so and have decided my very first recipe will be Healthy Mediterranean Pita Pizza. This meal is so yummy and anyone and everyone will love it (not just those with diabetes).

It only has about 250 calories, 5g fat, 1g saturated fat, 41 g carbohydrate, 3g dietary fiber , 8g protein.

Ingredients: (makes 1-2 pita pizzas)

• 1 pita bread
• 1/4 cup tomato, chopped
• 1/4 cup cucumber, chopped
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2 tablespoons hummus
• 1 tablespoon sliced olives
• 1 tablespoon crumbled feta cheese

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Let’s face it….Popeye is not the only one who loves his Spinach. You walk into a Mediterranean restaurant and what do you see as a side dish, a main dish and even as an appetizer?? SPINACH.

Spinach is one of the main foods in the Mediterranean diet, and it can help keep us healthy and strong.

Below are 7 Facts about Spinach

1. There are two varieties of spinach: older and new.

• Older types: die off quicker in warmer conditions; have narrow leaves; stronger and more bitter taste
• Newer varieties: grow faster in warm weather.

2. There are three basic types of spinach: 1) flat/smooth, 2) Savoy/curly 3) five star. You can purchase spinach at the market fresh, canned or frozen. (although you should NEVER EVER buy anything in a can).

• The flat/smooth type is easy to clean; usually found in canned or frozen; used in soups, baby foods or other processed foods.
• The savoy is usually purchased fresh.
• Five star usually has the seed with it.

3. Spinach has a high nutritional value and is extremely rich in antioxidants, especially when fresh, steamed, or quickly boiled.

4. It is a rich source of vitamin A (in lutein), vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, magnesium, manganese, folate, betaine, iron, vitamin B2, calcium, potassium, vitamin B6, folic acid, copper, protein, phosphorus, zinc, niacin, selenium and omega-3 fatty acids.

5. Opioids which help to relive pain have been found in spinach. Are you feeling pain? Try spinach for relief…

6. Are you pregnant? Spinach is an excellent source of folic acid. It is important to know that boiling spinach can decrease the folate into half.

7. Spinach contains a high amount of iron and calcium but it is difficult for the body to absorb them due to the oxalate in the spinach.

 

 

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Borek is a baked or fried filled pastry. It can be filled with cheese, meat or veggies. For this recipe, I use spinach; it is delicious. It originates from Modern Day Turkey. Borek roll is usually prepared in a large pan and cut into portions after baking or as individual pastries before baking or frying..

 

 

Ingredients

• Borek dough (can get from local Mediterranean grocer) or light easy dough (dough recipe coming soon on www.suzyeats.com)
• 6 cups fresh spinach leaves (~1 bag)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 medium yellow onion chopped
• 2 small tomatoes chopped (remove seeds)
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sumac
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• vegetable or canola oil for frying

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