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Tomato Baked Eggs

Carrying on from the egg post below I thought it would only be natural to post an egg recipe!

I tried this in Costa Rica and I absolutely LOVED it...so tasty and a completely new way to make eggs.

Ingredients

900g ripe vine tomatoes
3 garlic cloves
3 tbsp olive oil
4 large free range eggs
2 tbsp chopped parsley and/or chives

1.Preheat the oven to fan 180C/ conventional 200C/gas 6. Cut the tomatoes into quarters or thick wedges, depending on their size, then spread them over a fairly shallow 1.5 litre ovenproof dish. Peel the garlic, slice thinly and sprinkle over the tomatoes. Drizzle with the olive oil, season well with salt and pepper and stir everything together until the tomatoes are glistening.

2.Slide the dish into the oven and bake for 40 minutes until the tomatoes have softened and are tinged with brown.

3.Make four gaps among the tomatoes, break an egg into each gap and cover the dish with a sheet of foil. Return it to the oven for 5-10 minutes until the eggs are set to your liking. Scatter over the herbs and serve piping hot with thick slices of toast or warm ciabatta and a green salad on the side.

Per serving

204 kcalories, protein 9g, carbohydrate 7g, fat 16 g, saturated fat 3g, fibre 3g, salt 0.27 g

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Eggs

Eggs have been getting a bad rap lately. Although it is true that egg whites contain less fat (1 serving of egg whites..which is 2 egg whites contains 1g of fat and 75 calories, 1 egg with yolk and egg white cntains 75 calories and 5g fat) egg’s with the yolk contain more nutrients

Eating egg whites only may be beneficial to those who are watching there weight and cholesterol but most of the nutrient content comes from the egg yolk.

According to American Council on Science and Health, most of the vitamins and minerals in eggs---such as vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, folate, iron and zinc---are found in the yolk, as well as part of the protein.


The table below shows you how many nutrients you get from eating a whole egg instead of just egg whites.

 

Nutrient (unit)	Whole Egg	Egg White	Egg Yolk
Calories (kcal)	72	17	55
Protein (g)	6.3	3.6	2.7
Carbohydrate (g)	0.36	0.24	0.61
Total fat (g)	4.8	0.06	4.5
Monounsaturated fat (g)	1.8	0	2
Polyunsaturated fat (g)	1	0	0.72
Saturated fat (g)	1.6	0	1.6
Trans fat (g)	0.02	0	0.02
Cholesterol (mg)	186	0	184
Choline (mg)	126	0.4	116
Riboflavin (mg)	0.2	0.15	0.09
Vitamin B12 (mcg)	0.45	0.03	0.33
Folate (mcg)	24	1	25
Vitamin D (IU)	41	0	37
Vitamin A (IU)	270	0	245
Vitamin B 6 (mg)	0.09	0	0.06
Thiamin (mg)	0.02	0	0.03
Vitamin E (mg)	0.5	0	0.44
Selenium (mcg)	15.4	6.6	9.5
Phosphorous (mg)	99	5	66
Iron (mg)	0.88	0.03	0.46
Zinc (mg)	0.65	0.01	0.39
Calcium (mg)	28	2	22
Sodium (mg)	71	55	8
Potassium (mg)	69	54	19
Magnesium (mg)	6	4	1

 

Nutrient-rich, all-natural eggs are a welcome addition to any diet. 

The nutrient package of eggs aids in the following - 

• Weight management: The high-quality protein in eggs helps you to feel fuller longer and stay energised,which contributes to maintaining a healthy weight. 
• Muscle strength and muscle-loss prevention: Research indicates that high-quality protein may help active adults build muscle strength and help prevent muscle loss in middle-aged and aging adults. 
• Healthy pregnancy: Egg yolks are an excellent source of choline, an essential nutrient that contributes to fetal brain development and helps prevent birth defects. Two eggs provide about 250 milligrams of choline, or roughly half of the recommended daily intake for pregnant and breastfeeding women. 
• Brain function: Choline also aids the brain function of adults by maintaining the structure of brain cell membranes, and is a key component of the neuro-transmitter that helps relay messages from the brain through nerves to the muscles. 
• Eye health: Lutein and zeaxanthin, two antioxidants found in egg yolks, help prevent macular degeneration, a leading cause of age-related blindness. Though eggs contain a small amount of these two nutrients, research shows that the lutein from eggs may be more bioavailable than lutein from other food sources.

Cracking the Cholesterol Myth

More than 40 Years of Research Supports the Role of Eggs in a Healthy Diet

Many Americans have shied away from eggs – despite their taste, value, convenience and nutrition – for fear of dietary cholesterol. However, more than 40 years of research have shown that healthy adults can eat eggs without significantly impacting their risk of heart disease.

And now, according to new United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) nutrition data1 , eggs are lower in cholesterol than previously recorded. The USDA recently reviewed the nutrient composition of standard large eggs and results show the average amount of cholesterol in one large egg is 185 mg, a 14 percent decrease. The analysis also revealed that large eggs now contain 41 IU of Vitamin D, an increase of 64 percent.

Studies demonstrate that healthy adults can enjoy an egg a day without increasing their risk for heart disease, particularly if individuals opt for low cholesterol foods throughout the day. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the American Heart Association recommend that individuals consume, on average, less than 300 mg of cholesterol per day. A single large egg contains 185 mg cholesterol.

Several international health promotion organizations – including Health Canada, the Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation, the Australian Heart Foundation and the Irish Heart Foundation – promote eggs as part of a heart-healthy diet, recognizing that they make important nutritional contributions.



Recommendations

Exactly how many eggs you can safely eat a day will depend on your age, weight, sex, activity level, daily caloric intake, dietary habits and health. Your doctor can make a recommendation based on all these factors. However, moderation and variety are important to a well-rounded diet. The Harvard Medical School recommends an average of one egg a day for healthy cholesterol levels and a strong heart. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans state that healthy adults should aim to get 46 and 56 g of protein a day from a variety of foods, and suggests eggs as a nutrient-dense protein source.

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HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYONE!!! Even though the weather isn't promising this weekend you can make these yummy treats to brighten up your day and still feel healthy......

Woo hoo it’s Friday! Which can have it’s pros and cons...mainly PROS! However the main con being your diet goes out the window on the weekends. You have probably worked hard all week trying to eat a healthy balanced diet but if you are like most people you allow yourself “cheat days” on the weekend. Some people really just throw all their healthy ways in the garbage come Friday night, then wake up Monday morning vowing to eat healthy again. Want to end this cycle now...then you need to allow yourself treats throughout the week so you never feel deprived. I have just the treat to offer you....Blondies! The best part about these blondies is that they are made from...chickpeas! Thats right you heard me, chickpeas! Which are incredibly healthy for you. So make up a batch of these tonight and allow yourself to indulge in some this weekend, but try to still stick to a healthy balanced diet the rest of the weekend, so you can end the vicious cycle of the “Monday morning blues”, where you promise yourself to start eating clean again.

Here they are...delicious healthy blondies!

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups chickpeas (if canned, drain and rinse them well)
3 tablespoons any nut butter, coconut oil, or dairy butter
1/3 of a banana
1/4 cup ground flaxseed (flaxseed meal)
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup powdered stevia
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice blend, or cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
OPTIONAL: Chocolate chips (I highly recommend you add chocolate chips!)

Directions Add all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend or process until the batter is very smooth. If you're using chocolate chips, stir them in now. Either enjoy as an unbaked dip, or spread batter into a parchment lined or greased 8" x 8" pan and bake in a 350-degree oven for 30-35 minutes — do not overbake. When cooled, cut into 18 squares...And get this each blondie is only 60 calories! So indulge, its mainly chickpeas!

If you allow yourself treats every once and awhile throughout the week and continue this into the weekends you should never have a day where you eat crap all day long. The effect this has on your body is a lot worse than you can imagine. It takes approximately three days for your body to get back to normal after having a day where you eat mindlessly all day long (which a lot of girls do on Sundays!) So end this cycle now, just continue your healthy eating plan into the weekend and allow yourself treats all throughout the week so you never feel deprived!

I hope everyone has a great weekend and treat your body well this weekend allowing yourself some special treats but still sticking to your balanced eating plan :)

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Do you feel tired,have a headache, feel dizzy or lightheaded? You may just need to be drinking more water...

The human body, which is made up of between 55 and 75 percent water (lean people have more water in their bodies because muscle holds more water than fat), is in need of constant water replenishment.

A person would have to lose 10 percent of her body weight in fluids to be considered dehydrated, but as little as two percent can affect athletic performance, cause tiredness and dull critical thinking abilities. Adequate water consumption can help lessen the chance of kidney stones, keep joints lubricated, prevent and lessen the severity of colds and flu and help prevent constipation.

Health benefits of water 

Water is crucial to your health. It makes up, on average, 60 percent of your body weight. Every system in your body depends on water.

Lack of water can lead to dehydration, a condition that occurs when you don't have enough water in your body to carry on normal functions. Even mild dehydration - as little as a 1 percent to 2 percent loss of your body weight - can sap your energy and make you tired. Dehydration poses a particular health risk for the very young and the very old. Signs and symptoms of dehydration include: 

• Excessive thirst 
• Fatigue 
• Headache 
• Dry mouth 
• Little or no urination 
• Muscle weakness 
• Dizziness 
• Lightheadedness

How much water do you need?

Every day you lose water through your breath, perspiration, urine and bowel movements. For your body to function properly, you must replenish its water supply by consuming beverages and foods that contain water.

So how much fluid does the average, healthy adult living in a temperate climate need? The Institute of Medicine determined that an adequate intake (AI) for men is roughly 3 liters (about 13 cups) of total beverages a day. The AI for women is 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total beverages a day.

So basically keep hydrated and try and drink as much water as you can and you will feel the difference in your energy levels and overall wellbeing!

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Want baby smooth lips?

My friend discovered these amazing lip balms that as she says “are affordable and not
heartbreaking when you lose them at the bar!” Which is key when bringing a lip gloss to the bar,
because I do not know about you but mine never seems to come home with me. The product is
called “Baby Lips” and I promise you they give you just that...baby soft lips! Baby Lips comes in
5 amazing colours and one clear colour called “quenched”. I prefer to put the quenched balm on
my lips first and then apply the “Pink Punch” shade over top. I am actually obsessed with doing
this many times throughout the day, because it is so hydrating! An added bonus is that these lip
balms are SPF 20, making them perfect to wear when exposing your lips to the sun. You can
buy this product just about anywhere that sells Maybelline products. I however purchase mine at
our local grocery store Zehrs. Go buy a shade today and fall in love with the way your lips feel
and look instantly. If you want to put a gloss over top of the coloured balm for a more formal look
that works too! The possibilities are endless, all I know is that this lip balm is amazing

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How can the same plant that gives you tequila be good for you in other ways than a couple of shots with friends?? Well it also produces..........Agave Nectar

Have you heard of agave? I’m assuming if you have it is because you know it is the plant from which tequila is made from! However what I am about to tell you is a lot more interesting then how tequila is made, although I’m not saying tequila isn’t exciting! Anyways, Agave nectar is most often produced from the Blue Agaves (plant) that thrive in the volcanic soils of Southern Mexico. Agaves are large, spiky plants that resembles a cactus. The taste of agave nectar is comparable, though not identical, to honey. The main reason I am writing about this product is because I feel that in today's society we are consuming way too many artificial sweeteners! Who knows what implications they are going to have on us years to come? Sure they seem great now, I mean zero calorie drinks that taste delicious...what's not to love? However, I do NOT think that is a good enough reason to be drowning your body in artificial sweeteners that are surely doing more harm than good, if any! Therefore when I discovered this nectar I fell in love with it because in many regards agave nectar bridges the gap between real and artificial sweeteners. The reason for this is because it is a real sugar, as opposed to an artificial or non-nutritive sweetener. It has properties similar to many sugars with one important exception: its glycemic index is significantly lower. I will explain why this is so beneficial later in the post. This makes it a healthier alternative to white, brown, and mainly artificial sweeteners. Why else should you use this product you ask? Well it is also weight management and diabetic friendly!

Agave nectar's low glycemic index makes it suitable for some individuals on low-carb diet. Granulated sugar (classic white sugar) has an average glycemic index in the high 60's, while agave generally scores under 30. Foods with a glycemic index lower than 55 are considered low glycemic foods. Foods lower on the scale are less likely to trigger the body's mechanisms for fat storage. While it's not a "free" food for indiscriminate consumption, many individuals on a diet or weight maintenance plan find that agave is a healthier substitute for sugar, and that moderate use of agave nectar can help them enjoy foods that otherwise might be off limits.

It is diabetic friendly because diabetics are usually advised to monitor sugar intake in their diet and, like those trying to lose weight, watch the glycemic index of the foods they eat. Agave nectar DOES have calories and carbohydrates that must be taken into consideration, and responses to sweeteners vary from one individual to the next. However, because agave has a lower glycemic index than refined sugars, its carbohydrates are less likely to raise the blood sugar quickly.

Therefore it is not so much that this is not a sugar, it is the fact that it has such a low glycemic index. I will be explaining why this is so amazing in a bit.

So how do you use this liquid as a substitute for sugar? Agave nectar is more calorie-dense than brown or white sugar, however it is about 40% sweeter, so the amount of agave can be reduced! It may take some adjustment of recipes to learn how to properly substitute agave nectar for regular white sugar, but it's much easier than using an artificial sweetener to substitute for sugar. Artificial sweeteners provide sweetness, but few of the functional properties of real sugars. Agave provides the same variety of functions (including browning, moisture retention, softening and food preservation) as processed sugars.

The most important feature of this product is the low glycemic index, so pay attention to this section. The glycemic index is a way of measuring the relative impact of foods on blood sugar levels. Foods with a high glycemic index have carbohydrates that the body can quickly convert to sugar, which makes them more likely to cause a quick rise in blood sugar.

To determine the glycemic index of a food, human subjects are given a portion of a single food and their blood sugar is tested at intervals. The resulting response curve is compared to a control substance (either glucose or white bread) and assigned a numerical value. Glucose (or white bread) is given an arbitrary rating of 100, and all other foods are measured relative to that. Foods that rate above 100 are foods whose carbohydrates digest very quickly and are likely to raise the blood sugar immediately, while those with an index lower than 100 have less impact on the blood sugar.

Foods with few to no carbohydrates, like meats, cheeses and fats, will likely result in a glycemic index close to zero. The fewer easily-digested sugars and starches a food contains, the less likely it is to create a spike in blood sugar. Dietary fiber, while classified as a carbohydrate, passes through the system undigested, so it has no impact on blood sugar. In fact, fiber works to help slow the absorption of digestible carbohydrates.

Like the glycemic index, the glycemic load of a food is used to characterize its potential effect on blood sugar. A food may have a high glycemic index, meaning the carbohydrate it contains will quickly convert to sugar, but if that food does not contain much carbohydrate per average serving, there will not be much impact on the blood sugar.

To calculate the glycemic load of a food, multiply its glycemic index by the number of digestible (non-fiber) carbohydrates in a single serving, then divide by 100. That number may be interpreted as follows:

20 and above = high glycemic load
10 to 19 = medium glycemic load
less than 10 = low glycemic load
Here is an example (look how amazing agave nectar compares!!)

food	carbohydrates	x	glycemic index	÷	100	=	glycemic load
12 oz. regular cola:	40.5	x	90	÷	100	=	36.4
fresh apple (medium)	21	x	54	÷	100	=	11.3
2 Tbsp. agave nectar	32	x	30	÷	100	=	9.6

So even though the apple has fewer carbohydrates, the glycemic load of the agave nectar is actually lower!

Proving my point quite clearly, Agave Nectar is truly a LOW glycemic SUGAR...nothing artificial about it!

Buy a bottle of this Agave Nectar today from your local health store and start substituting it in your life any time you would use sugar! I personally like to put some on my oatmeal in the morning, or even my afternoon tea. Enjoy :)