Plum and Pecan Spinach Salad with Pomegranate Dressing

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 tablespoon 100% pomegranate juice
  • 1 teaspoon grapeseed oil
  • 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh mint
  • 2 cups baby spinach
  • 1 ripe medium plum, cut into 1″ pieces
  • 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) reduced-fat feta cheese
  • 2 tablespoons chopped pecans
  • 1 tablespoon raisins
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine the pomegranate juice, oil, vinegar, and mint in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. Place the spinach, plum, cheese, pecans, raisins, and onion in a medium bowl; toss with the reserved dressing.

WHY WE LOVE THIS RECIPE

Sick of the same old salad?  Ditch the lettuce for a change and try this antioxidant-packed spinach variety.  We love spinach because it is loaded with antioxidants, especially flavonoids, which help protect your body from oxidative stress.  The list of nutritional benefits of spinach doesn’t stop there – it is also rich in vitamin K, vitamin A, folate, calcium, potassium and magnesium. This makes spinach a nutritional powerhouse.  The pomegranate juice adds another boost of antioxidants.  They help fight off free radicals in the body, which may protect against diseases like cancer.  Plums not only add a bit of sweetness to this salad, but also top it off with some extra vitamin C while the grapeseed oil is a good source of vitamin E. Both of these powerful antioxidants can prevent tissue damage and help ward off disease causing free radicals.  The feta cheese and pecans pack this salad with protein to help keep you full.  Together, these ingredients make this one super free radical-fighting salad.

.

Plum and Pecan Spinach Salad with Pomegranate Dressing

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 tablespoon 100% pomegranate juice
  • 1 teaspoon grapeseed oil
  • 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh mint
  • 2 cups baby spinach
  • 1 ripe medium plum, cut into 1″ pieces
  • 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) reduced-fat feta cheese
  • 2 tablespoons chopped pecans
  • 1 tablespoon raisins
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine the pomegranate juice, oil, vinegar, and mint in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. Place the spinach, plum, cheese, pecans, raisins, and onion in a medium bowl; toss with the reserved dressing.

WHY WE LOVE THIS RECIPE

Sick of the same old salad?  Ditch the lettuce for a change and try this antioxidant-packed spinach variety.  We love spinach because it is loaded with antioxidants, especially flavonoids, which help protect your body from oxidative stress.  The list of nutritional benefits of spinach doesn’t stop there – it is also rich in vitamin K, vitamin A, folate, calcium, potassium and magnesium. This makes spinach a nutritional powerhouse.  The pomegranate juice adds another boost of antioxidants.  They help fight off free radicals in the body, which may protect against diseases like cancer.  Plums not only add a bit of sweetness to this salad, but also top it off with some extra vitamin C while the grapeseed oil is a good source of vitamin E. Both of these powerful antioxidants can prevent tissue damage and help ward off disease causing free radicals.  The feta cheese and pecans pack this salad with protein to help keep you full.  Together, these ingredients make this one super free radical-fighting salad.

.

Fooled By Food?

april-fools-food

It’s April Fool’s day and we are all often fooled… by food! While browsing aisles in the grocery store, it is so easy to be deceived by names like “Skinny” or “Lite”. To help us outsmart these manufacturers, every other week Keri selects a food product that appears healthy upon first glance and breaks it down for in her column “Too Good To Be Food?” on Thatsfit.com. She evaluates the product ingredient by ingredient to get to the bottom of whether or not this food is actually as healthy as it sounds. Check out these products and you will be one step ahead of those food industry pranksters!

Are these foods too good to be food?

Garden Lites Zucchini Portabella
Cocoa Roast Almonds
Dannon Greek Yogurt
Snyder’s EatSmart Naturals Veggie Garden Crisps
Dark Chocolate Pomegranate VitaTops

.

Valentine’s Day Aphrodisiac Foods

pomegranate

Looking for a way to get your hormones flowing and your heart pumping this Valentine’s Day? No, we’re not talking about donning sexy lingerie (although by all means, go for it!) This year, instead of going out to eat with your sweetheart, cook up some trouble with a three-course meal that is loaded with aphrodisiac foods. We know you’ve heard of oysters and chocolate, but the list goes on. There are foods that give men an irresistible smell, increase circulation and stimulation, and others that boost arousal. Get a jump on your Valentine’s Day grocery shopping this weekend and pick up some celery, ginger and pomegranates. Check out Keri on Access Hollywood Live this coming Monday where she will tell you how to use these ingredients to cook a Valentine’s Day meal that will be sure to heat up your night!

In the meantime, drink up (in moderation, of course!) this Low-Cal Pomegranate Love Potion to (literally) get your blood flowing. Pomegranates are rich in polyphenols, antioxidants that allow blood to flow through your veins – a key component of good sex. Over ice, pour 1 oz vodka, 2 oz club soda and 1 oz Genesis Today Pomegranate Berry Boost juice. Stir and serve with love.

.

Tera’s "Whey to Go" Smoothie

blueberries

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!

.

Jolene’s Pumpkin Flaxseed Pancakes

Ingredients:

Pancakes:

1 ¼ cup spelt flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 Tablespoon ground flaxseed
1 whole vanilla bean, seeded; or ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 omega-3 rich egg
1 cup fat-free milk
3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 Tablespoon honey
Canola oil cooking spray

Pomegranate Maple Syrup:

1 whole pomegranate, freshly squeezed; or 2 ounces 100% pomegranate juice
2 ounces 100% maple syrup

Garnish:
¾ cup pomegranate seeds (optional)
¾ cup pecan halves, coarsely chopped (optional)

Directions:

  1. Sift together flour, salt, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, and flaxseed in a large bowl.
  2. Beat together egg, milk, vanilla bean or vanilla extract in a small bowl, then pour into flour mixture and stir.
  3. Using a spatula, fold the pumpkin puree into the mixture.
  4. Set aside for 1 hour.
  5. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle using ¼ cup portions for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.
  6. Stir pomegranate juice and maple syrup together and pour into a small sauce bowl.
  7. Serve 2 pancakes, pour 1 Tablespoon syrup over pancakes, and garnish with 1 Tablespoon pecans and 1 Tablespoon pomegranate seeds.

Makes 5 servings of 2 pancakes

Why we love this recipe:

Start your day the right way with this yummy, good-for-you breakfast that’s sure to be a hit!

For starters, the protein-packed eggs are rich in a variety of vitamins and nutrients, and omega-3 enriched eggs are even better- helping to improve heart health.

The pumpkin puree isn’t just delish- it’s full of vitamins A, and C, and packed with beta carotene, to help improve immune function and reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease. Plus, just one cup of pumpkin has only 50 calories and nearly three grams of fiber, making it the perfect healthful addition to your breakfast pancakes!

And you’ll get a nice, nutty flavor, from flaxseeds, which are a dynamite source of lignans, plant estrogens which may soothe monthly mood swings that may lead to emotional overeating.

As for the syrup, the pomegranates are loaded with polyphenols, which function as antioxidants and fight free radicals to reduce the risks of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and signs of aging.

.