Still avoiding the winter blues and trying desperately to stay healthy?  On average 5% to 20% of Americans get the flu every year.  Avoid the sniffles by packing in some tried and true immunity shielding foods.

Chicken soup:

Your mother wasn’t wrong to give you chicken soup when you were home sick from school. Chicken soup has an amino acid, cysteine, which may be responsible in helping with the breakdown of mucus to relieve that persistent cough. Also, the soup’s salty broth keeps mucus thin the same way cough medicines do.

• Added spices, such as garlic and onions, can increase your soup’s immune-boosting power. Carrots are full of beta-carotene, known to help immunity strengthen the immune system.

Berries:

Berries contain vitamin C, which has been shown to decrease complications related to the common cold and promote enhanced immunity. Vitamin C not only aids in iron absorption, which increases immunity by making both T cells and hypochlorous acid (used by white blood cells to kill dangerous pathogens), but it is also a well known antioxidant that protects the body against illness.

•  You don’t have to pick them at the stand to reap berry benefits. Make berries a staple in your freezer this winter. Add to yogurt, smoothies or oatmeal for an immunity blast.

Honey:

Finally, the sweetest defender of all…Honey! Honey has immunity-boosting power due to the antibacterial compounds which ward off bacteria to help fight infection in the body.  Honey may even help sooth dry skin, which is just as worthy of fighting as a cold.

•  If you need to sweeten your hot mug of tea, skip the artificial JUNK and add a teaspoon or drizzle on a hot baked apple for a healthy conscious indulgence. OR, try this delish Caramelized Pear and Pecan French Toast.

Caramelized Pear and Pecan French Toast

 Toppings

• ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup peeled and chopped pear
• 1 tablespoon chopped pecan
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon honey, divided

French Toast

• 1 omega 3 enriched egg
• 1 tablespoon fat free milk
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 slice 100% whole wheat bread

Directions

1. Place a nonstick skillet over medium heat and coat with canola oil cooking spray.
2. Combine the vanilla, pear, and pecans, cinnamon, and half the honey in a small bowl and stir to coat. Add the mixture to the skillet and cook, stirring, 3 to 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Removed from the skilled and set aside. Coat the skillet once more with cooking spray and return to heat.
3. Beat the egg and cinnamon in a shallow bowl. With a fork, dip the bread into the egg mixture. Flip to coat both sides.
4. Place the bread in the skillet and cook, 1 minute per side or until the bread is lightly browned and the egg is cooked.
5. Top with the reserved topping and serve drizzled with the remaining honey.

 What are your tips for staying healthy? Do you have any go-to foods to avoid getting sick?

Still avoiding the winter blues and trying desperately to stay healthy?  On average 5% to 20% of Americans get the flu every year.  Avoid the sniffles by packing in some tried and true immunity shielding foods.

Chicken soup:

Your mother wasn’t wrong to give you chicken soup when you were home sick from school. Chicken soup has an amino acid, cysteine, which may be responsible in helping with the breakdown of mucus to relieve that persistent cough. Also, the soup’s salty broth keeps mucus thin the same way cough medicines do.

• Added spices, such as garlic and onions, can increase your soup’s immune-boosting power. Carrots are full of beta-carotene, known to help immunity strengthen the immune system.

Berries:

Berries contain vitamin C, which has been shown to decrease complications related to the common cold and promote enhanced immunity. Vitamin C not only aids in iron absorption, which increases immunity by making both T cells and hypochlorous acid (used by white blood cells to kill dangerous pathogens), but it is also a well known antioxidant that protects the body against illness.

•  You don’t have to pick them at the stand to reap berry benefits. Make berries a staple in your freezer this winter. Add to yogurt, smoothies or oatmeal for an immunity blast.

Honey:

Finally, the sweetest defender of all…Honey! Honey has immunity-boosting power due to the antibacterial compounds which ward off bacteria to help fight infection in the body.  Honey may even help sooth dry skin, which is just as worthy of fighting as a cold.

•  If you need to sweeten your hot mug of tea, skip the artificial JUNK and add a teaspoon or drizzle on a hot baked apple for a healthy conscious indulgence. OR, try this delish Caramelized Pear and Pecan French Toast.

Caramelized Pear and Pecan French Toast

 Toppings

• ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup peeled and chopped pear
• 1 tablespoon chopped pecan
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon honey, divided

French Toast

• 1 omega 3 enriched egg
• 1 tablespoon fat free milk
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 slice 100% whole wheat bread

Directions

1. Place a nonstick skillet over medium heat and coat with canola oil cooking spray.
2. Combine the vanilla, pear, and pecans, cinnamon, and half the honey in a small bowl and stir to coat. Add the mixture to the skillet and cook, stirring, 3 to 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Removed from the skilled and set aside. Coat the skillet once more with cooking spray and return to heat.
3. Beat the egg and cinnamon in a shallow bowl. With a fork, dip the bread into the egg mixture. Flip to coat both sides.
4. Place the bread in the skillet and cook, 1 minute per side or until the bread is lightly browned and the egg is cooked.
5. Top with the reserved topping and serve drizzled with the remaining honey.

 What are your tips for staying healthy? Do you have any go-to foods to avoid getting sick?

Schooool’s Out. For. Sum-mer! Okay, so maybe not for all of us, but that doesn’t mean you can’t act like a kid and let loose—you deserve it! Take a cue from a child’s instinctual way of handling stress and don’t think about it so much! Recent studies from the University of Washington found that taking a minute to simply look out the window at something in nature can lower our heart rates and in turn, reduce our stress levels. Take an hour or two for yourself and take advantage of the gorgeous weather to go for a run, garden or bike ride. In the middle of your chaotic day, stop for a second to appreciate the beauty of a sunny July day.

NLT: Want to relieve some stress, get outside and help the environment at the same time? Pack a green picnic and head to the park with some friends (or the kids) this weekend! Enjoy local, seasonal produce (think berries, melon, tomatoes and summer squash) packed in reusable containers and bags. We love the eco-friendly products from Preserve – they are made form 100% recycled plastic and BPA-free. Check out their on-the-go products here: http://www.preserveproducts.com/products/tableware/on-the-go.html

BBQ season is coming up for most of us, but that doesn’t mean our freezers have no place in our home! While nothing beats biting into fresh berries straight from the farm and fish caught miles from your home, frozen foods can have major perks. Fruit and veggies are flash frozen when they are picked, retaining their peak nutritional value, where fresh produce often degrades in transit. Besides produce, frozen foods in general have come a long way since their birth in 1924. Instead of the traditional laundry list of ingredients, today there are many organic and “cleaner” options that allow us to reap many nutritional benefits of foods straight from the freezer while satisfying even the most health conscious consumer. While nothing is quite like a home-cooked meal, these Nutritious Life faves are the ultimate in convenience.

Tabatchnick Soups
Ahhh… there’s nothing like the comfort of a bowl of soup after a long day. Tabatchnick has a wide variety of frozen soups under 101 calories including vegetable, barley and mushroom, cabbage, and even cream of broccoli. These soups pack a long list of veggies and a hearty helping of fiber and protein to leave you fully satisfied. And don’t forget, soup is often a low-calorie option that fills you up so you eat fewer calories at the meal.

Healthy Delites Butternut Squash Soufflé
These single serving soufflés provide an easy side dish or snack with 0g of fat and 180 calories. Heat one up in the oven or microwave and pair with sliced turkey – voila – you’ve got a well-rounded, quick meal. Butternut squash from the farmer’s market is daunting to prepare for some of you, but this frozen soufflé allows you to incorporate the vitamin A-rich vegetable into your diet in minutes. With natural sweetness and added vanilla and spices, this butternut squash variety can even be eaten for dessert!

Cascadian Farms Organic Berries
The ingredient list reads: blueberries….That’s it! Frozen at the peak of ripeness and nutritional content, organic frozen fruit is a Nutritious Life fave! Throw them into yogurt, oatmeal, pancakes, smoothies, and even salads or plain old water to add a little flavor. Or just pop em’ as a frozen treat!

Evol Fire-Grilled Chicken Fajita
Unwrap the ultimate frozen Mexican feast. Microwave one straight from the freezer and you’ll bring protein and serious fiber to the table along with organic, free-range chicken and “natural” ingredients without the high sodium and fat usually packed into a burrito. And did we mention they’re prep-free and ready in minutes? Evol also offers a mini version that can satisfy your burrito craving in a snack size of less than 200 calories. Ole!

Seapoint Farms Veggie Blend
Talk about going green! This blend packs in 5 different green vegetables without any added preservatives and almost no sodium. Throw them in a pan to sauté or simply steam and couple with a turkey burger, or use as a salad base and top with canned salmon. Either way this veggie blend is a fast side dish loaded with vitamin A, C, and the mineral iron.

Cedarlane Egg White Omelette
While an omelet is quick and easy on the stovetop, these frozen varieties can be used in extreme time-crunch situations. Ready in 3 minutes from the microwave, these veggie filled omelets are low in cholesterol while packing in protein and almost half your daily serving of calcium. They are surprisingly fluffy and delicious, and with less than 300 calories, a perfect fast meal.

Immaculate Bakery Organic Cookie Dough
Your neighbors will think you’ve embraced your domestic side! Made with wheat flour, these organic cookies smell delicious and taste even better. You can feel good indulging in a healthier option that eliminates hydrogenated oils and other unnecessary preservatives and fillers found in traditional cut-and-cook doughs. These make a great “conscious indulgence”.

Ingredients:
¼ cup orange juice
¼ cup pomegranate juice
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 tablespoon Vanilla Tera’s Whey (or any flavor)
2 tablespoons chopped avocado
3/4 cup fat-free plain yogurt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions:
Put ingredients into a blender and enjoy!

Why we love this recipe:
Whether you’re looking to pack in some high quality protein as a post-workout snack or to help with weight management, whey protein may be just the answer.

Whey protein (which comes from milk) is loaded with branched chain amino acids and leucine (an essential amino acid), both of which are essential for building and repairing muscle during the recovery from a work out.

Leucine has also been found to preserve lean muscle mass while simultaneously releasing appetite-suppressing hormones.

This smoothie recipe is the “whey to go,” so be sure to give it a try!