Leap Into Good Health

This is Leap Year Day - the perfect day to leap into good eating habits. One of the best defenses we have against the corona virus and anything else is solid nutrition. If we eat healthy we'll be healthy.

The first step is assessing what you eat. Too many processed foods - out. The last thing you need is a diet rich with high sodium and high fat along with over processing. Instant or microwave meals can be handy but they can also be deadly too. I know it's easy to pop something for five minutes and then gobble it down. You can still have microwave dishes but try steamed ones. There are many microwave steamers out there where you can cook an entire meal.Start looking into steaming salmon steaks with a wide variety of veggies. Of course we all know about those omega 3''s but few know about their ability to increase white blood cells, vital for fighting off foreign agents such as flus and viruses. They also produce antibodies , sort of like a natural vaccine. what pairs well with a nice piece of the fish? Lightly buttered green beans which are loaded with Vitamins C and K. Asparagus works too.A few stalks will provide you with chromium useful for transporting glucose through the body.  Another healthy meat is chicken but skip the fried, as delicious as it is. Stick to grilled and roasted.

Snacking on the wrong foods can also wreck your immunity.  Again, as with fast food it's so easy to grab the tasty and the quick. One of the best and most flavorful is a small tray of mixed veggies with spiced up Greek yogurt. Have a good mix of broccoli and cauliflower florets.Broccoli is rich in the essential vitamins along with choline, a nutrient essential to a healthy diet. Choline aids in creating a strong gastrointestinal barrier  which keeps bacteria safely confined to the gut.Cauliflower also has its' life saving pluses.The florets are known for their anti-inflammatory properties and also choline. Of course don't forget the carrots. These perfect crunchers (and teeth cleaners) are abundant in beta carotene and their nutrients help to support the body's mucus membrane which lines both the respiratory and intestinal tracts. This makes it hard for bacteria to enter the blood stream. If you want sweet then consider Greek yogurt drizzled with maple syrup or dark wildflower honey. Even these two sweeteners have antioxidant properties that help strengthen the immune system.

Leap into a diet that boosts your immune system. It will help you deal with whatever germs that are out there. You can protect yourself while still eating tasty foods.

Rabbiting About Carrots

Mention carrots to young and old and you're bound to get the same reaction - a grimace. Yet these diet vital veggies are tasty,bringing just the right amount of sweetness to any lunch or dinner. They're good raw or cooked, served with dressing or with butter. They really are a treat.

As a lifelong carrot lover, I can only write good things about one of my most favorite vegetable.s I have always loved them cooked and drenched in butter.  Not surprising they are one of the world's oldest prepared vegetable. first being grown in ancient Persia. Their leaves and seeds were valued and then eventually the taproot underneath.They  then spread to Europe.where it grew wild,  being cultivated in ancient Switzerland and Germany.Carrots were  part of the varied Roman diet.The early versions of the veggie were originally purple and , red and yellow. The orange kind was probably cultivated in what is now Afghanistan and were introduced to Europe through the Netherlands in the 1700s. The name comes from ker or horn, It is a biennial plant, usually growing in the summer but some slower growing varieties are being harvested now in the fall. The roots contain high quantities of both alpha and beta carotene along with high amounts of Vitamin K and B6.They're also high in potassium too as well as in lutein.It's an easy grow for novice gardeners and is great first plant for little green thumbs An extra plus is that carrot stems produce clusters of pretty white flowers, similar in look to Queen Anne's lace.

What abut carrots themselves? Again a simple , yet delicious side dish is just cooked carrots ith butter.It's boiling them in water until tender and then adding  a quarter of a cup of butter or margarine. Some add brown sugar,but that's just making them too sweet ad taking away from their natural sweetness. Minced garlic can be added to give it some oomph but be sparing with it. Many home chefs go the ultra sweet route when it comes to them. There are many recipes that call for everything from maple syrup to refined sugar. Don't go this route.Aim for ingredients that accentuate their flavor. Cook them with different herbs such as dill or rosemary.Again be sparing ith them. Too many herbs may give the carrots a medicinal taste. Carrots are also great in combos.Try them with green beans and button mushrooms as a great side to both chicken and beef. Sub in cauliflower for the mushrooms for another nice companion to holiday and Sunday roasts.Raw carrots are perfect in crudite plates. Try them and other raw veggies with such good dips as a classic vinaigrette or a simple Greek yogurt.Anything sweet like a French or Russian dressing dip would detract from the carrots. Carrots also make lovely decorations too. There are carrot curls and carrot roses, both easy to create.

Give carrots  a try. They're great starting off a holiday meal or Sunday dinner or as a side to any roast. They're not only good for you but good tasting, their sunny brightness adding to any plate.