Crockpot Minestrone

Crockpot Minestrone

Yield: serves about 6-8

Total Time: 6-8 hours

Ingredients:

1 sweet onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 (28 ounce) can of diced tomatoes
2 (15 ounce) cans of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
3 cups water
8 ounces of uncooked ditalini pasta
12 thin asparagus spears, stems removed and cut into thirds
1 cup of frozen sweet peas
1 (6 ounce) bag of fresh spinach
1/3 cup freshly grated romano cheese + more for topping
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Add diced onions, garlic, carrots, the whole can of diced tomatoes, cannellini beans, stock and water to your crockpot. Cook on low for 4-6 hours, stirring once or twice if you can.

About 10-15 minutes before serving, add in asparagus (I like mine with some crunch, add it earlier if you want it softer), spinach, peas and pasta. Cook on low for another 10-15 minutes then stir in grated cheese. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired. I used about a 1/2 teaspoon of each, but it will depend on the sodium levels in your stock, tomatoes, etc. Serve immediately with additional cheese on top!

Things You Need to Know about Arsenic in Rice

Things You Need to Know About Arsenic in Rice

Now that millions of Americans are avoiding gluten in wheat products, they are increasingly turning to rice products, which are free of protein that causes digestive stress in some people. What they may not now is that rice contains shocking amounts of one of the worlds most insidious toxins: ARSENIC.

We have written about this several times before, but it is important enough to write about it again.

1. White basmati and sushi rice contain the least arsenic. They contain only about half as much arsenic per serving as most other types of rice. If these were the only rice products consumed in a household, an adult could safely eat up to 4 ½ servings per week while a child could safely eat up to 2 ¾ servings per week. White basmati rice from California, India and Pakistan at the healthiest choices.

2. Beware of basmati rice from the U.S. that is not from California.

Texmati rice from the southern states is very high in arsenic. These are rices from Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana.

3. Brown rice contains the most Arsenic!

It contains 80% more arsenic than the white basmati rice has. Arsenic accumulates in the grains brown outer layer. This is frustrating when you are trying to eat so healthy. Remember, it is only the marketing skills of television and radio who have said brown rice is healthy.

1. Some rice products are washed in arsenic.

One serving of hot rice cereal ( ¼ c uncooked) and one serving of rice pasta ( 2 ounces) are loaded with arsenic. Just a single serving of either food accounts for about half of the recommended weekly maximum amount of rice for adults.

1. Other grains contain only minimal amounts of arsenic.

Other grains have only minimal amounts of arsenic, such as quinoa, buckwheat, polenta, barley, faro or bulgar.

1. Cook rice like pasta to reduce arsenic.

You can remove 30 – 50 percent of the arsenic in rice by cooking it like pasta. Thoroughly rinse raw rice before cooking it, boil it in a mixture of six cups of water to every one cup of rice and then drain the excess water. Brown rice does hold up to this method better than white rice, but you have to remove more arsenic. Some people are soaking their rice in water for several hours before cooking it.

Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs

Slow Cooker Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs

Yields: 6 servings | Serving size: 3 meatballs | Calories:

255 | Total Fat: 14 g | Saturated Fats: 5 g | Previous Points: 6 | Points Plus:

7 | Trans Fats: 0 g | Cholesterol: 105 mg | Sodium: 153 mg | Carbohydrates: 12

g | Dietary Fiber: 3 g | Sugars: 3 g | Protein: 21 g

Ingredients

•1 pound lean ground turkey

•1 medium onion, finely chopped, divided

•1 slice whole grain bread, lightly toasted and ground

•1 large egg

•1 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt, divided

•1/2 teaspoon black pepper

•1 (3.5-ounce) ball of mozzarella, roughly chopped

•Whole-wheat flour to coat the meatballs

•Extra-virgin olive oil for browning

•1/2 cup chicken broth

•1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes

•1 teaspoon dried oregano

•4 fresh sage leaves, roughly chopped

Directions

In a medium bowl, mix turkey, ground bread crumbs, egg, half

of the onions, 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Mix well until it becomes

compact.

Make small balls then push a few pieces of the mozzarella at

the center of each meatball. Roll the meatballs on a plate with flour then set

aside. Over medium heat, in a saucepan with olive oil, brown the outside of the

meatballs. When they are browned, set them aside in a bowl. Discard the oil.

Note that the meatballs do not need to be cooked through all the way as they

will cook in the sauce and slow cooker.

Over medium heat, still in the same saucepan, pour some new

oil then sautè the remaining onion. Put back the meatballs then pour in the

broth. Cook until the sauce thickens.

In the slow cooker, pour the meatballs with the sauce,

canned tomatoes, oregano, sage, the remaining salt and a dash of pepper. Set

the slow cooker to low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours.

For Dietary questions call us :

Archived Article

Health and Wellness Associated

312-972-WELL

Fatter Cattle; Fatter People

Cattle were made to eat grass and

not grains. But, if you feed a cow corn, soybeans and chicken manure (like a

majority of operations do) they fatten up faster for slaughter. That is, fatten

up with inflammation and diabetes… But the more money that these farmers get

for fatter animals means a lot less nutrition for humans. If you are a

meat-eater, you had best be consuming healthy animals and not sick ones – if you

want to stay healthy. Besides, a recent USDA study found that, compared to

grain-fed, grass-fed beef has more natural beta-carotene, vitamin E, omega-3s,

conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), calcium, magnesium, potassium and is lower in

inflammatory omega-6s.

For more information, or a personalized health care plan, please call;

Health and Wellness Associates

312-972-WELL

Never Go Gluten Free Cold Turkey

Our

modern hybrid wheat varieties now pack up to 40 times more gluten than

traditional heirloom varieties and a whopping 1/3 of the US population is going

gluten free because of health-related wheat problems. Selective breeding,

hybridization and genetic modification have been used to “improve” wheat crop

yields and protein values. Around 105 million Americans are gluten free because

of allergies, sensitivities and intolerances to wheat, barley and rye gluten. A

growing body of evidence shows that up to 70% of the population suffers from

gluten intolerance or sensitivity. Simply going gluten-free has helped millions

recover from intestinal disease, neurological disorders, diabetes, heart

disease, arthritis, rashes and even schizophrenia.

NEVER:

Stop eating wheat immediately, at once or cold turkey!

People who have stopped eating wheat cold turkey, have ended in bad

results of seizures, mood disorders, disorinentation, making bad decision and

choices and a mass of intestinal problems, along with dementia or Alzheimers.

Contact us for information and a correct health care plan for YOU!

Health and Wellness Associates

312-972-WELL

Hoisin Chicken… the easy way

Hoisin Chicken… Easy way

Ingredients

• 1 pound skinless chicken thighs (with bone or boneless), or thighs

  and drumsticks

• 1/2 cup hoisin sauce

• 1 clove minced garlic

• 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

• 1/4 cup chopped scallions (white part, roots discarded, and green

  parts reserved for garnish)

• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 2 tablespoons rice wine (not rice vinegar) or sherry

• ¼ cup chopped scallions (green part), for garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

In a large

bowl, mix together all of the ingredients besides the chicken thighs and green

scallions. Once the sauce is fully mixed, add the chicken pieces and fully coat

with the sauce on all sides.

Place chicken

in a baking dish that has been thinly coated with cooking spray or olive oil.

Cook for 20-

25 minutes, uncovered, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches

165 degrees F when taking with a meat thermometer (or until chicken is cooked

through).

Remove the

baking dish from the oven and allow the chicken to rest, 10 minutes, covered

before serving.

Serve

garnished with green scallions. Serve suggestions include serving with steamed

rice or quinoa and a vegetable.

Health and Wellness Associates

312-972-WELL

Eye Exercises that Improve Vision

Eye Exercises that improve Vision

Doing these eye exercises daily will relax eyes and improve vision for many people

Pencil Push-ups

To improve focusing power, do this in the morning and again before bed. Hold a pencil vertically 12-14 inches in front of your eyes. Focus on the tip while moving the pencil toward your nose. When you can no longer focus on it, stop trying and relax your eyes., Repeat three times.

Thumbing

Extend your arm straight in front with your thumb pointing upward. Look beyond it at a distant target for 15-20 seconds, and then look at your thumb. Repeat until your eyes and neck feel more relaxed.

If you are having trouble with various diseases, and/or you want preventative care please give us a call.

Health and Wellness Associates

312-972-WELL

7 Ingredients You Never Want to See on a Skin Care Label

7 Ingredients You Never Want to See on a Skin Care Label

If you took the skincare grooming section of a store and buried it in the ground, it would be declared a hazardous waste dump. That is how dangerous many of the chemicals in these products are.

One in eight ingredients used in personal care products are industrial chemicals that include carcinogens, pesticides, reproductive toxins, and hormone disruptors.

Many of these chemicals are considered sade in low doses by themselves, but we should be concerned about the damage they can cause repetitively over time and synergistically with each other.

The Food and Drug Administration has no authority over cosmetic manufacturers and does not require these companies to test products for safety. Cosmetic companies may use any ingredient except for certain color additives and substances classified as drugs.

More than 500 cosmetic products sold in the U.S. contain ingredients banned in Japan, Canada and the European Union. Certain skin care ingredients should be avoided at all costs.

These include dioxin, triclosan, and products with color pigments. Here are the seven chemicals you never want to see on a skincare product label.

1. BHA and BHT These are closely related antioxidants are used as preservatives in moisturizers and makeup, particularly lipstick. They are both linked to endocrine disruptions.       BHA has been linked to cancer. They have been proven harmful to fish and other wildlife.

1. Coal tar dyes. These are found in dark hair dyes and antidandruff products.       They are widely linked to cancer and also may be contaminated with heavy metal which are toxic to the brain.       Sometimes they are listed on labels as p-phenylenediamine or CI ( for color index) followed by a five digit number.

1. PEG compounds. These are found in cosmetics cream bases and can be contaminated with 1,4 dioxane, a widely known carcinogen. Sine manufacturers use a purification process to remove the 1,4 diozane, but there is no way of knowing for sure which PEG is safe, which means it is best to avoid all.

1. Benzoyl Peroxide. Pregnant women should stay away from this acne medication ingredient at all costs. If you are thinking of becoming pregnant in the next year, you need to stay away from this. If you are having a hard time getting pregnant, then look to see if you are or have used a product with this ingredient in it.

1. Dioxin   This ingredient is often found in skin cleansers and other bath products. Dioxin has been linked with cancer, reduced immunity, nervous system disorders, birth defects and miscarriage.

1. Triclosan   This synthetic antibacterial chemical is used as a pesticide. It has the same molecular structure as Agent Orange, the defoliant used during the Vietnam War that was associated with many soldiers health problems and death.

1. Parabens   Found in antibacterial hand sanitizers, among other products, these chemicals are suspected endocrine disruptors and may interfere with male reproductively function. They are commonly used in deodorants and antiperspirants and have also been linked to breast cancer.

Health and Wellness Associates

312-972-WELL

Almonds Reduce Belly Fat…. and more

Almonds Reduce Belly Fat

Replacing a high carb snack each day with a handful of almonds ( about 1.5 ounces) reduces belly fat.

For 12 weeks, researchers at Penn State University gave overweight volunteers with high cholesterol identical diets, with one exception – one group got a daily snack of almonds while a second group got a banana muffin snack equal in calories.

The almond snack reduced total cholesterol, including LDL (bad) cholesterol when compared to the muffin, and also significantly reduced belly fat.

Research found that substituting almonds for a high carbohydrate snack improved numerous heart health risk factors, including the new finding that eating almonds reduced belly fat.

People with chronic high cholesterol levels, need to be tested for thyroid problems also. Almonds have been shown to work with thyroid problems also.

If you need assistance in reversing this problem, Health and Wellness Associates is here to help you.

Health and Wellness Associates

312-972-WELL

Natural Compound Helps Smokers Quit

Natural Compound Helps Smokers Quit

A study at New Zealand’s University of Auckland found that a natural, inexpensive compound called cytisine that has been used for more than 40 years in Europe to help smokers kick the habit, is more effective than nicotine replacement therapy, (NRT).

After using cytosine for 25 days, about 40 percent of people said they had not smoked compared to 31 percent of those who used NRT, and those taking cytisine were more likely to be non-smokers after 6 months.

To the brain, cytosine looks a little like nicotine, and so it works to alleviate any urges to smoke and reduces the severity of nicotine withdrawal symptoms.

If you do smoke while using cytisine it will be less satisfying – making quitting easier.

Cytisine quit smoking aids are widely available over the internet or health food stores.

If you need assistance with trying to quit smoking, we here at Health and Wellness Associates will be happy to assist.

Health and Wellness Associates

312-972-WELL