7 Foods to Eat Right Now

If you want to start eating for your health but are not sure where to start, I have you covered in this post. Below is a list of a few of my favorite foods with tons of health benefits. I’ll break it down for you: why they’re good for you and a few ways you can starting eating them right now.

1) Avocado

Avocados are packed with nutrients including vitamins A, C, E, K and B6. They’re a great source of potassium, omega 3 “healthy” fats and are a complete protein.

This green fruit is good for lowering blood sugar, preventing heart disease and anti-aging. But the best part is that it is a nutrient booster: by eating avocado with other foods, you can improve your absorption of their nutrients by up to 400%! Here are a few of my favorite uses:

- In my salads as a substitute for cheese

- Mashed on toast for breakfast or a snack

- Mixed in with any rice or quinoa dish (really, it goes together sooo well)

- Add to tuna salad as a substitute for mayo

2) Berries

Berries are rich in nutrients and low in sugar. Their beautiful pink, red and blue hues are due to a powerful, disease-fighting antioxidant called anthocyanins, which reduces inflammation in the body and can help to relieve arthritis discomfort.

Other key ingredients vitamin C, fiber and folate boast superpowers such as glowing skin/hair, weight loss, lowered cholesterol/blood pressure and increased seratonin levels to ward off depression and improve mood.

I like to eat berries alone or mix in with oatmeal, greek yogurt or granola with almond milk. How berry wonderful (sorry, I had to)!

3) Ginger

My boyfriend and I are pretty obsessed with ginger right now. In addition to it tasting delicious on top of your tuna avocado roll, ginger is great for calming an upset stomach and taming inflammation in the muscles and joints. It’s spicy flavor can also help you sweat out a cold during those winter months.

- As a green juice ingredient or sliced up in herbal tea

- Grated into meat/fish marinades or any cooking sauce

- Sliced and sauteed with veggies and grains

4) Kale

You’ve probably noticed that kale has been enjoying the spotlight recently. Our society is becomming more health-conscious and interested in disease prevention. As a result, superfoods that have been used in vegan cooking for years are becomming mainstream.

Kale is one of the must nutritious foods that you can add to your diet. It is packed with Vitamins A, C and K, high in calcium, folic acid, iron and contains phytochemicals that have been suggested through research may help to prevent cancer.

I like to eat kale in a variety of ways: sauteed with other veggies and mixed quinoa or pasta, added to soups, salads and baked crisp as kale chips (you can find a million recipes online).

5) Mushrooms

Did you know that there are over 14,000 species of mushroom-forming fungi? I didn’t either until I starting doing the research for this post. Anyway, I probably sound like a broken record at this point but this vegetable is seriously magical. Scientists have found that they may protect against certain cancers. Additionally, mushrooms contain nutrients and immune fighting ingredients such as selenium, potassium, riboflavin and vitamins B & D.

- Add raw to green salads along with avocado, tomatoes and carrots

- Saute with onion, garlic and greens such as arugula or watercress and serve over grains

- Combine with pesto, parmesan cheese and truffle oil in an omelet  

6) Parsley

This powerful green is super under-rated as a garnish. Just a small sprig of parsley packs a punch of anti-oxidants like vitamins K, C and A and volatile oils such as myristin which can help neutralize carcinogens in the body. AND I’M JUST SCRATCHING THE SURFACE.

Add to green salads, rice and pasta salads, mixed in with tomato sauce or just pop a few sprigs in your mouth before any meal.

7) Seeds

These teeny treats are packed with nutritional power such as healthy doses of protein, omega 3 fatty acids, calcium, fiber and anti-oxidants and are oh so yummy on a variety of dishes.

- Add Sunflower/Pumpkin seeds on top of salads, in a trail mix and on top of granola or oatmeal

- Sesame seeds are great in pasta salads, crushed up on top of sauteed veggies and eaten in paste form as tahini, which is a main ingredient in hummus.

- Add poppy seeds to creamy salad dressings, baked goods and roasted veggie dishes

- Flax seeds should be ground up and sprinkled on cereals and salads or added into baked goods

Xo Saranna

Upgrade your carbohydrates from empty calories to rich, nutrient-dense grains.

I find it helpful to understand what is happening in my body when I eat certain foods so before we get down to business, here’s a little science lesson for you :)

Foods such as white breads and pasta are made of refined wheat flour. During the refining process, the valuable nutrients such as fiber, vitamins, minerals and micronutrients are lost when the outer bran shell and inner germ layer of the grain are removed. All that remains is a pure carbohydrate: the starchy endosperm of the grain.

During digestion, your stomach and small intestine do an “inventory” and convert any carbohydrates in the food into glucose, which is sent into the bloodstream to be used as energy. When this happens, your blood sugar levels increase and insulin is sent in to help use or store the glucose and normalize your blood sugar levels.

Because processed versions are pure carbohydrates and all other nutrients have been removed, digestion occurs quickly and your blood sugar levels increase sharply. You have a spurt of energy but once your blood sugar normalizes you experience a crash and crave more energy (and food).

When you eat whole grains, the digestion process occurs over a longer time period as the body takes inventory of the nutrients that are included in addition to the carbohydrates. The glucose is released slowly into the bloodstream and you experience a steady flow of energy over time.

Here a few of my favorite grains. If you have difficulty converting at first, try cooking with chicken or vegetable stock for more flavor or season with whatever your favorite condiment is.

Quinoa: If you’ve heard of quinoa but have been too afraid to try it, now is the time to experiment. Try it cold with veggies, olive oil and lemon, in a sauté with veggies, sesame oil and soy sauce or as an addition to your salads.

Also, check out my family recipe below.

Millet: This grain is mushy when cooked and great for adding to stews, making as a pilaf or eating as a warm breakfast cereal with vanilla and cinnamon.

Brown Rice: No surprise here. Cook with chicken or vegetable stock or flavor with your favorite sauces if you find the flavor a little hard to swallow. I love to season with sesame oil or top with hummus and feta cheese.

Another healthy tip: if you’re ordering in Chinese get your sesame chicken with brown rice, or ask them to make your fried rice with brown instead of white.

Agi’s Quinoa Salad

1 cup uncooked quinoa

½ cup black beans

2 stalks scallions, chopped

1 red bell pepper, diced

½ cup corn kernels

1 medium red onion, diced

1/2 avocado

¼ cup parsley, chopped

2-3 tbs olive oil

1-2 tbs lemon juice

sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Rinse quinoa under faucet before cooking. Add one cup quinoa and two cups water to a medium sized pot. Add 1 tbs butter or ghee to water for extra flavor. Can also cook in vegetable or chicken stock. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes uncovered. Turn off heat and cover, let steam for 15-20 minutes.

Mix in beans, scallions, peppers, corn, avocado and parsley. Add olive oil, lemon juice and seasoning until the desired flavor is reached.

Happy cooking!

Xo Saranna