INGREDIENTS

Dressing:

• 2 Tbsp fat-free plain yogurt
• 1 Tbsp finely chopped, shelled, raw pistachios
• 1 Tbsp steeped green tea, cooled to room temperature
• 1 Tbsp thinly sliced green onion
• 1 tsp finely chopped parsley
• 1 tsp red wine vinegar
• ½ tsp minced garlic
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Salad:

• ¾ cup frozen, shelled edamame
• ½ cup celery, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup chopped marinated artichoke hearts
• ¼ cup thinly sliced radishes

DIRECTIONS

1. To make the dressing: Place the yogurt, pistachios, tea, onion, parsley, vinegar, and garlic in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. To make the salad: Defrost the edamame in the microwave according to the package directions. Let it cool to room temperature.
3. Toss the edamame, celery, artichoke hearts, and radishes with the dressing and serve.

Why we love this recipe:
This beautiful salad is like a perfect summer day with all its shades of green. Not only is it full of powerful vitamins and minerals with antioxidant power, but the edamame supplies a healthy dose of protein. Even if you are not vegan or vegetarian, we recommend a few veggie meals per week. This is a good healthy habit for you and the environment. The yogurt and nuts in the dressing supply protein while the green tea adds a dose of antioxidant power that just may protect your heart and your skin from the sun. Fiber packed artichokes and crunchy celery and radishes help to make this not only super tasty but wonderfully filling.

INGREDIENTS

Dressing:

• 2 Tbsp fat-free plain yogurt
• 1 Tbsp finely chopped, shelled, raw pistachios
• 1 Tbsp steeped green tea, cooled to room temperature
• 1 Tbsp thinly sliced green onion
• 1 tsp finely chopped parsley
• 1 tsp red wine vinegar
• ½ tsp minced garlic
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Salad:

• ¾ cup frozen, shelled edamame
• ½ cup celery, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup chopped marinated artichoke hearts
• ¼ cup thinly sliced radishes

DIRECTIONS

1. To make the dressing: Place the yogurt, pistachios, tea, onion, parsley, vinegar, and garlic in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. To make the salad: Defrost the edamame in the microwave according to the package directions. Let it cool to room temperature.
3. Toss the edamame, celery, artichoke hearts, and radishes with the dressing and serve.

Why we love this recipe:
This beautiful salad is like a perfect summer day with all its shades of green. Not only is it full of powerful vitamins and minerals with antioxidant power, but the edamame supplies a healthy dose of protein. Even if you are not vegan or vegetarian, we recommend a few veggie meals per week. This is a good healthy habit for you and the environment. The yogurt and nuts in the dressing supply protein while the green tea adds a dose of antioxidant power that just may protect your heart and your skin from the sun. Fiber packed artichokes and crunchy celery and radishes help to make this not only super tasty but wonderfully filling.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/4 cups whole grain pastry flour
• 1/2 cup turbinado sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 cup fat-free plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup steeped green tea, cooled to room temperature
• 1/4 cup safflower or canola oil
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan with canola oil cooking spray.
2. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cloves, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
3. Whisk the egg whites, yogurt, green tea, oil, and vanilla extract in a small bowl until just combined.
4. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the egg white mixture. Mix until well combined, then evenly fold in the walnuts.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake 40 to 45 minutes on the middle rack in the oven, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Serve with 1 teaspoon nut butter.

Makes 8 (1-inch-thick) servings

Why we love this recipe:

You know we are huge green tea fans here at Nutritious Life. In case you are still only sipping your green tea and not eating it, we thought you may be inspired by a favorite O2 Diet recipe, Green Tea Loaf. A few fun things to remember about green tea: It may help burn more belly fat than other caffeinated beverages, may reduce the risk of UV damage from the sun, may help keep your teeth healthy and may prevent different forms of cancer including lung. Green tea is the Oscar winner in this recipe, which can be eaten as a satisfying breakfast when topped with 2 tsp. almond butter or as a “conscious indulgence” instead of an afternoon chocolate chip cookie. We suggest baking, slicing into portions and freezing. Freezing in individual portions makes it much easier to resist nibbling away at more. And, of course, feel free to sip some tea as you dive in.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/4 cups whole grain pastry flour
• 1/2 cup turbinado sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 cup fat-free plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup steeped green tea, cooled to room temperature
• 1/4 cup safflower or canola oil
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan with canola oil cooking spray.
2. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cloves, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
3. Whisk the egg whites, yogurt, green tea, oil, and vanilla extract in a small bowl until just combined.
4. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the egg white mixture. Mix until well combined, then evenly fold in the walnuts.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake 40 to 45 minutes on the middle rack in the oven, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Serve with 1 teaspoon nut butter.

Makes 8 (1-inch-thick) servings

Why we love this recipe:

Ring in the new year with my antioxidant-rich eating plan that will keep you feeling energized, add a youthful glow to your skin, and help you slim down, all while enjoying delicious foods! Not only is this Green Tea Loaf from The O2 Diet super yummy, but it’s loaded with body-boosting ingredients!

You’ll get major health benefits from green tea, an O2 Diet powerfood, which helps mop up nasty little free radicals that can cause oxidative damage to the body, and has been proven to help melt away abdominal fat when incorporated into an exercise routine. Green tea may also decrease the risk of skin and lung cancer as well as help prevent strokes.

Plus, low-fat yogurt not only lends its naturally tangy taste to this quick bread, but it’s packed with bone-building calcium, satisfying protein, and probiotics to keep digestion efficient.

Finally, walnuts are superstars! These tasty nuts contain alpha-linolenic acid–an essential omega-3 fatty acid–and antioxidant polyphenols that have been shown to be protective against memory loss. In fact, researchers at Tufts University found that walnuts may even reverse some signs of brain aging.

To your health in 2011!

These festive snacks are great for sharing with guests at your next holiday party–and double as a gift! Just add them to a jar, decorate with a ribbon and you’ve got a go-to present that you can feel good about giving this season. Plus, they’re super-easy to make (and enjoy!)

Rosemary Spiced Nuts

Ingredients:

• 1 large egg white
• 1 teaspoon water
• 2 cups walnuts
• 1 tablespoon crushed dried rosemary
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a nonstick baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Whisk egg white and water until foamy in a medium bowl.
3. Add walnuts and mix gently until coated.
4. Combine rosemary and sea salt in another bowl.
5. Stir the rosemary and sea salt mixture into the bowl with nuts until evenly coated.
6. Spread onto prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Bake 20 minutes, tossing halfway through.
7. Let cool completely.  Store in an airtight container.

Makes 2 cups

Why we love this recipe:
Not only is this a great idea for a homemade gift, but nuts are a perfect snack that you can keep just about anywhere! In general, walnuts are a great source of vitamin E, an important antioxidant that keeps our cells strong and healthy. They’re also packed with protein, heart-healthy fats and linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid that may help keep you sharp by protecting against memory loss. Plus, a little bit of rosemary goes a long way–adding a delicious and fragrant twist that boosts the ORAC content of this snack even higher!

Instead of toiling with ancient recipes to ward off the common cold, heat up your sex life for an extra boost of immunity. A recent study found that women who reported getting down and dirty at least 1-2 times a week had higher levels of the antibody immunoglobulin A, a defender against the common cold. Bonus: Spending time with loved ones and even pets has a similar antioxidant-boosting effect.

NLT: Go ahead, take the lead and don’t be shy – your health may depend on it! If your
partner wonders what’s up, tell ‘em your doc insisted (although we doubt you’ll hear
many complaints…).

This week marks National Fig Week! Why dedicate a whole week to these little guys? As it turns out this mini fruit is not so mini when it comes to nutritional value and major health perks.  Packed with potassium, calcium, and vitamin A, figs are the ultimate sweet snack. Check out why we can’t get enough of them!

Figs are a great source of potassium, a mineral that works to control blood pressure and has been shown to increase bone and muscle strength. The calcium in figs actually works with the potassium to keep bones healthy and strong. Love that team work!

Remember your grandmother said to eat your carrots? Well carrots move over! Figs are rich in vitamin A, the same antioxidant found in carrots which promotes vision development and keeps eyes strong as we grow older. But it doesn’t stop there; vitamin A also has anti-aging power and skin rejuvenation qualities.

Now that’s what we call an all-star fruit!

Get festive and celebrate National Fig Week with this fig-filled muffin recipe from The 02 Diet!

Fig-Filled Muffins

8 dried Mission figs (about ½ cup)
2 tsp finely grated lemon zest, divided
1 cup whole grain pastry flour
¼ cup ground flaxseed
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 egg white
½ cup fat-free or light soy milk
3 Tbsp canola or safflower oil
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
¼ cup honey
3 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line or coat 6-cup muffin pan with canola oil cooking spray.

2. Puree figs and 1 teaspoon of the lemon zest in blender into a chunky paste, using a spatula to scrape down sides halfway through, about 10 seconds. Set aside.

3. Combine flour, flaxseed, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and remaining lemon zest in large bowl.

3. Whisk egg white, milk, oil, vanilla extract in small bowl. Whisk in honey and applesauce until well combined. Add egg mixture to flour mixture and mix well.

4. Fill prepared muffin cups just below halfway, using scant 1/8-cup measures. Add a rounded teaspoonful of reserved fig mixture to center of each muffin cup. Divide remaining batter among muffin cups, covering fig mixture completely.

5. Bake 23 to 25 minutes on middle rack in oven, or until lightly browned on top and knife inserted in center about halfway through comes out clean. Let cool in pan 5 to 10 minutes before turning out onto rack.

6. Serve with ¼ cup non fat cottage cheese.

Makes 6 muffins