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Healthy Cheesy-Breezy Pasta

Shobhna Batta

Who does not like rich, creamy, cheesy pasta?  My kids love pasta in white/Alfredo sauce but most of the store-bought Alfredo sauce are highly processed. They not only contain high quantity of cheese but also have some controversial ingredients that are best to be avoided.

The good news is that it is very easy to make Alfredo sauce at home but what makes this recipe supercool is a secret vegetable that I add to make the sauce creamy and healthy – CAULIFLOWER!!  Cauliflower is a versatile vegetable which can be substituted for rice and flour in many recipes.  It is a member of the cruciferous family and an excellent source of antioxidants with many health benefits including:

  • Reduce Cancer Risk
  • Anti-inflammatory
  • Decreases Risk for Heart Disease and Brain Disorders
  • Improves Digestion
  • Promotes Detoxification
  • Aids in Weight Loss
  • Helps Balance Hormones
  • Preserves Eye Health

I am sure you are now convinced to cook more with this wonderful vegetable.

Here is the recipe for Healthy Cheesy-Breezy Pasta. My kids love the taste so it is both kids and mom approved!

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cook time: 15 Minutes

Total Time: 25 Minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups of grated cauliflower
  • 1 small white onion
  • 1 teaspoon garlic paste
  • 1 ½  tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 cup milk (more to achieve desired consistency)
  • ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper (more to taste)
  • ¼ teaspoon of thyme powder
  • ¼ teaspoon of oregano powder
  • Salt to taste
  • Pasta (I used GoGo Organic Red and White Quinoa Macaroni available at Costco, cooked as per instructions)

Instructions

  • Heat butter in a pan
  • Chop onions and shallow fry until they get translucent and golden brown
  • Add the garlic paste
  • Add the grated cauliflower
  • Cook on medium/low heat till it is soft and mushy
  • Let it cool
  • Add milk, cheese, spices and the cauliflower mixture in a blender
  • Blend till it is smooth and creamy
  • Mix the cooked pasta and the sauce in the pan
  • Simmer for a couple of minutes

Serve hot.  ENJOY!

Notes:

  • You can add more/less milk depending on the consistency you prefer
  • The sauce can be made in bulk and stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days
  • Olive oil can be used in place of butter if needed

Try it and let me know how you like it.

Beat it with Beets!

Shobhna Batta

Beat it with Beets!

Did you know that Beet is one of the most nutritious vegetables with a plethora of health benefits? Beets not only give a nice color to your dishes but also bring in a lot of essential vitamins and minerals important for your body functioning. Beets are our hearts best friend by keeping our blood vessels flexible and open for smooth blood flow.

Here are some of the health benefits of beets:

Lower Blood Pressure – Eating beets on a regular basis can help reduce your blood pressure. Beets are rich in nitrates, which are converted into nitric oxide in your body. Nitric oxide is a vasodilator that keeps our blood vessels wide open and relaxed, which in turn lowers our blood pressure.

Detoxify – Beets are known to purify your blood and liver. Beets contain betaine and polyphenol that increase livers ability to produce glutathione, which makes the toxins in our body water soluble so it can be easily excreted out of our system.

Improve stamina and athletic performance – Dietary nitrate, which is abundant in beet, have shown to reduce oxygen cost during physical exercise, leading to improved stamina and enhanced performance. Nitrates improve the efficiency of mitochondria, which are the powerhouse of our cells. Drink a glass of beet juice before the exercise to maximize your performance.

Reduce Inflammation – Beets are considered one of the best anti-inflammatory foods that help reduce pain in the body because of inflammation. Phytonutrients from beetroot, betanin and vulgaxanthin, have been shown to reduce inflammation in our bodies.

Fight Cancer – The powerful phytonutrients that give beets their red color also provide anti-cancer properties. Studies have shown that antioxidant from beets killed the leukemia cell and prevent lung and skin cancers.

It is so easy to incorporate beet in your diet.  Here are some of the ways I try to consume more beets on a daily basis.

  • Smoothies – Add beets to your morning Smoothie. Stay tuned, if you are looking for a simple and easy smoothie recipe. I will be posting a recipe very soon.
  • Salad – A simple beet salad can be made by adding beets, pears and a handful of walnuts. It tastes so good with beet and pear’s natural sweetness and crunchiness of walnuts.
  • Curries and Dishes – One to two tablespoon of grated beets can be added to any vegetable or curry without altering the original taste. My mom makes this delicious side dish with grated beets and coconut powder. It tastes heavenly. Yum!
  • Baking – Mashed beets can be substituted for oil in any baking to give a nice color and health benefits of beets. You might need to experiment with the sugar a bit as beets are naturally high in sugar.
  • Juice – Juice them with apple, carrots and oranges for a yummy drink.

Let me know how you like your beets!!

Please be aware that most of the beets sold in grocery store are genetically modified. Make sure you buy the organic and non-GMO variety only to experience all these health benefits.

Homemade Almond Milk

Shobhna Batta

If you are avoiding dairy for health reasons, there are many options for milk available like Almond, Coconut, Soy, Hemp, Rice Milk etc.  Almond milk seems to be enjoying the most success (#1 in alt-milk category).

The problem is if you are drinking a store bought Almond Milk; you are also consuming a lot of undesired additives which are not good for your body. Carrageenan is one of the most common additives in most of the nut kinds of milk, even the organic variety.

What is Carrageenan: Although derived from a natural source (Seaweed), it has been found to have a harmful effect on the digestive system. It triggers an unnatural immune response similar to that your body has when invaded by bacteria. It can lead to inflammation, ulceration, and bleeding in your gut.

Also, in store bought milk there are only about 2% almonds so basically you are paying that high price for just plain water and additives.

The good news is that it is very easy to make Almond Milk at home and it is cost effective too.

Here is a simple recipe :

HOMEMADE ALMOND MILK

Serves:  4

Ingredients

  • 1 cup raw Almonds
  • Pinch sea salt
  • 4 cups water
  • 2 dates
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

Instructions

  1. Soak the almonds for at least 12 hours in clean water with a pinch of sea salt
  2. Drain the water
  3. In a blender, blend the almonds, water, and dates
  4. Blend for 2-3 minutes until smooth
  5. Strain the milk by using a cheese cloth, nut bag or simple tea strainer
  6. Pour in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days

Notes

  • If you don’t have dates, you can also use maple syrup as a sweetener
  • You can add Coco powder or fruits like mango/berries/bananas to experiment with different flavors
  • Tea strainer works fine but it is a little bit messy to use. It takes longer to strain and requires patience
  • Add more or less water depending on the thickness you prefer (whole, 2% or 1%)
  • Don’t throw out the pulp. It can be used in many recipes like curries and baking

If you try this recipe, let me know how it turned out. Did you try any variations? Please share.

Power of a Power Nap

Shobhna Batta

A power nap is a nap that’s long enough to get you recharged, but not so long that it makes you groggy.

Most people lean on caffeine to stay productive and charged.  However, Power napping is fun and efficient way that not only will recharge your body but also boost your memory, cognitive skills, creativity, and energy level. It is usually between lunch and dinner time and lasts about 10-30 minutes.

I am a power napper. On weekends, few minutes after lunch, I will take a quick 10-15 minutes nap and wake up recharged, energized and ready for my next thing!! My mental alarm (which I call a pillow alarm) wakes me up exactly when I desired to be up – in most cases 10 minutes. I believe I inherited this gift of power napping from my dad.

Benefits of Power Napping:

  • Boost Productivity
  • Improves Memory
  • Reduces Blood Pressure
  • Reduces Stress
  • Improves Mood 

A lot of studies and reports have linked insufficient sleep to a multitude of health problems like depression, ADHD, obesity, Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s.  According to CDC, over 70 million adults are suffering from a sleep disorder. Today’s fast-paced world and overly busy schedules can somewhat be blamed for this sleep epidemic.

If you are one of those individuals who struggle to get enough sleep at night or just need a quick recharge, try power napping. You can start by setting an alarm to be up at the desired time but slowly your body will be trained to let you rest for an optimal time so you wake up to be refreshed and recharged!

Let me know in the comments if you try to power nap and do you feel the benefits from it.

Photo credit : https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Computer_Cat_Nap.jpg

Personalized Nutrition based on your DNA

Shobhna Batta

Have you ever wondered:

  • Why some people eat a high-fat diet and not gain a single pound or develop any health issues while it is completely opposite for others?
  • Why two people living under one roof, eating the exact same foods have different nutrition-related health issues?
  • Why your weight loss attempts do not give optimum results but others have achieved success in the same program?

The answer to this mystery is here now – it is proven and it is real!! NUTRIGENOMICS.

Nutrigenomics is the study of the effects of foods on our genes and understanding food-gene interactions. Simply, It is the study of the impact of nutrients from food on your body, based on your genetic composition.

Let’s take an example – when I drink caffeine, my blood pressure goes up but some people find tea to have a calming effect on their bodies.  Now the research has proven that caffeine can either be your friend or foe depending on your genetic composition. There is a gene, called CYP1A2 which directs your liver to make one of two enzymes: CYP1A2 fast or CYP1A2 slow.  If you have the gene that makes the fast version of CYP1A2, your body processes the caffeine from your bloodstream very quickly and has a positive impact on your heart health. However, if you have the gene that makes the slow version of CYP1A2, your body processes the caffeine from your bloodstream very slowly leading to an increased risk of heart disease.

I can be sure to have the slow version of CYP1A2.

Interesting!! Isn’t it?

Our genes respond differently to certain nutrients and have different effects on our bodies.

According to the UC Davis NCHMD Center of Excellence for Nutritional Genomics [1], there are five tenets of nutrigenomics, which can be summarized as:

  1. Diet can be a serious risk factor for a number of diseases.
  2. Common dietary chemicals can act on the human genome to alter gene activity or gene structure.
  3. The degree to which diet influences the balance between healthy or diseased states may depend on an individual’s genetic makeup.
  4. Some diet-regulated genes (and their normal, common variants) are likely to play a role in the onset, severity and progression of chronic diseases.
  5. Dietary intervention based on knowledge of nutritional requirement, nutritional status and a person’s genotype can prevent, mitigate or even cure chronic disease.

The application of Nutrigenomics seems very powerful. It may lead to personalized nutrition for disease prevention and treatment, or it may help to understand the nature of the disease and individual response to nutrients.

There are few companies like Fitgenetix that provide a simple, in-home DNA test to create a personalized exercise and nutritional plan based on your genome. They also provide fresh meals designed for your DNA delivered directly to you.

Please contact us if you are interested in learning more about Nutrigenomics and how it can help you in losing weight, customized exercising, preventing disease or to get into better health overall.

On-the-go Healthy Snack : Nutri-Balls

Shobhna Batta

If you are a busy mom, like me, you understand how difficult it is to find healthy, nutritious snack that meets the growing needs of the kids and also makes their taste buds happy!!

It’s a constant struggle for me, especially because I have two almost teenager (one is a preteen) boys enrolled in competitive sports! I am constantly looking for and trying new recipes. Well, some get approved, some gets modified and transformed, and some find home in my tummy when rejected by all!

Last week I found a winner when a coworker shared a recipe for a healthy, simple, portable snack. I made some slight modifications and it was a huge hit! These cute little balls are so simple to make, full of protein, healthy fats and super delicious. Win-Win!!

What I loved about this recipe is that it is so easy to customize based on your kid’s preference or allergy constraints, without compromising the taste.

Here is the recipe for these wonder balls:

Nutri- Balls

Prep time: 15 Minutes

Cook time: 0 Minutes

Total Time: 15 Minutes

Output: 10 balls

Ingredients

  • 8 pitted dates
  • ½ cup Walnuts
  • ½ cup Almonds
  • ½ cup Raisins
  • ½ cup Flax seeds/instant oatmeal
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
  • 2 tbs whey protein powder – Vanilla
  • ½ cup Peanut Butter
  • 1 tbs Honey – Adjust according to taste

Instructions

  1. Place the dates in the blender first to get a gooey paste
  2. Add all the remaining ingredients (except last 2) and blend till it is all powdered
  3. Add peanut butter and honey and blend it all together
  4. Make small balls and Enjoy!

Notes

Here are some other healthy additions/substitutions you can make without compromising the taste

  • Chocolate chips
  • Chia Seeds
  • Cranberries instead of raisins
  • Almond Butter or any Nut Butter instead of Peanut Butter
  • Cashews
  • Coconut powder
  • Maple Syrup instead of honey

I am sure your kids will like the balls as much as it’s liked by mine. Try it and let me know.

Can Diabetes affect the heart?

Shobhna Batta

People with diabetes have an elevated risk of heart disease. According to American Heart Association:  While all people with diabetes have an increased chance of developing heart disease, the condition is more common in those with type 2 diabetes. In fact, heart disease is the number one cause of death among people with type 2 diabetes.

  • At least 68 percent of people age 65 or older with diabetes die from some form of heart disease;
  • Adults with diabetes are two to four times more likely to die from heart disease than adults without diabetes.
  • The American Heart Association considers diabetes to be one of the seven major controllable risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

What is Type II Diabetes?: The digestive tract breaks down carbohydrates (from sugars and starches) into glucose. The cells use glucose for energy. When glucose enters our bloodstream, pancreas release a hormone called “Insulin”.  Insulin plays a major role in metabolism and is the key that unlocks the door of the cell to let the glucose in. When we have a high carb/high sugar diet, the pancreas has to secrete more insulin in order to keep up with the high glucose in the blood. The doors of the cell (cell receptors) are smart enough to know how much glucose the cell would require. They shut the door after their needs are met. The “extra” glucose now keeps floating in the bloodstream causing the cell receptors to become insulin resistant. This is how Type II Diabetes is developed in adults.

Diabetes and Cardiovascular Diseases: The most common cause of Type II Diabetes is eating too much of unhealthy, junk food and lack of optimum physical exercise. In people with Type II Diabetes, the risk of Cardiovascular disorders go up mainly because the “extra” glucose in the blood makes the blood too thick to flow easily. The glucose also starts depositing on the walls of the arteries making the passage narrow, arteries stiff or damage the blood vessel altogether.  This causes the blood pressure to go up and also increase the probability of heart attack and strokes.

The good news is that Type II Diabetes can be prevented, controlled and even reversed. Here are some of the ways to prevent Type II Diabetes:

  • Eat more real foods
  • Avoid sweetened beverages
  • Avoid foods with high-fructose corn syrup
  • Graze
  • Exercise

If you have a family history of Diabetes or have been diagnosed with a Pre-Diabetic condition, please reach out to see how we can help develop healthy eating habits to reduce the risk of Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disorders.

 

Nutrition Deficit Disorders

Shobhna Batta

According to America’s Centers for Disease Control, 11% of four- to 17-year-olds in the US have been diagnosed with ADHD; just over 6% are taking medication. According to the pharmacy claims data, between 2008 and 2012, the number of Americans who use medication to treat ADHD rose 36%, totaling more than 4.8 million privately insured individuals in 2012.

http://lab.express-scripts.com/lab/insights/industry-updates/report-turning-attention-to-adhd

Millions of US children are on medication for behavioral problems and depression. Children are increasingly being prescribed antipsychotic and antidepressants as young as 2 years old!

So what is causing this rise in “D” disorders like ADHD, ADD, and Depression among children and young adults? Dr. Sears, the author of the NDD book (https://www.amazon.com/N-D-D-Book-Nutrition-Without-Parenting/dp/0316043443), calls them “Nutrition Deficit Disorders” or NDD. He believes these disorders are the direct result of lifestyle and wrong food choices.

There are many studies that have shown that food additives, like artificial colors and food dyes, cause hyperactivity in children. In certain cases, parents have observed that their kids’ behavior became aggressive and hostile whenever they had bright red color in their drink or packaged food.  European Union (EU) requires that foods containing certain food color additives include a statement on the label that this color “may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.”. There is no such requirement in the United States.

Here are some of the steps you can take to prevent NDD and improve your overall health:

  • Read labels: When you buy any packaged food, make sure it does not contain any Artificial colors or food dyes. If you look closely a lot of fruit juices, sports drinks, cereals, and yogurts contain these so it is possible that your child is having a high dose of these colors every day.
  • Healthy fats: Human brain is 60% fat. In order for it to function efficiently, you need a diet full of good fats like fish, ghee, eggs, avocados, walnuts. Make sure your kids are getting enough fats in their diet by serving healthy fats in every meal.
  • Reduce Sugar: Limiting sugar in your family’s diet makes sense in terms of overall health. Look out for any kind of sugar or syrup on food labels to eat fewer simple sugars. A lot of times sugar is hidden in the ingredient list so you have to watch out for different names that end with “ose” like sucrose, fructose, dextrose.. Certain case studies have shown processed sugar increases hyperactivity in kids. If your kids have a sweet tooth, serving fruits or natural sugars like honey and dates could be a better alternative.
  • Good Carbs: Simple Carbs like white bread, pasta spikes up the insulin in the body. Complex carbohydrates, found in whole grains, legumes, and starchy vegetables contain longer chains of sugar molecules, which usually take more time for the body to break down and use. This, in turn, provides you with a more consistent amount of energy. Make sure you are feeding your kids good complex carbs like whole wheat, brown rice which are slowly absorbed and keep them full for a longer period of time. 

Please schedule a session to learn more about the steps you can take to prevent NDD, identify better food choices, smart shopping and simple recipes for healthy meals.

Small Changes can make a BIG Difference!

Shobhna Batta

Do you know what is the number ONE New Year Resolution people make every year –No points for guessing right – it is to lose weight!!

They make commitments to go to the GYM on a regular basis and eat healthy foods..which they do BUT only until Feb..after that it is same old ..same old.

Can you guess what makes the ambition, the excitement, the commitment go away so fast..Because the goals they make are BHAG: Big Hairy Audacious Goals. For e.g. – the goals will be something like they will only drink broccoli shakes for the rest of their lives or they will eat the “Special” diet that comes with the plan.

Anybody will be tempted to make that commitment after seeing those ads where a person will be holding a pant size 10 sizes bigger than their waist size depicting you can lose all this weight in one week by just following their diet plan. Seems simple – YES if it does not fit in your lifestyle. It can never be achieved.

Let me share with you these small, baby steps you can take to get started on your “wellness” journey –

Rule no. 1: Never wake up to a tea or coffee:  Instead eat real food within 30 – 60 minutes of getting up. It can be a fruit or a handful of nuts. Eating first thing in the morning will reduce the chance of overeating later in the day. It also stabilizes the metabolism and blood sugar level.

Rule no. 2: Drink Water before meals – Drinking water helps boost your metabolism, cleanse your body of waste, and acts as an appetite suppressant. Also, drinking more water helps your body stop retaining water, leading you to drop those extra pounds of water weight. As a general rule, you should be drinking about 8 glasses of water per day.

Rule no. 3: Eat more when you are active and less when you are less active.  Your diet and portion can vary depending on your activity level. The more active you are, the more fuel your body will require to recover after a workout and to sustain your energy levels throughout the rest of your day. You will also need more fuel to support your immune and metabolic systems throughout the day when exercising.

Rule no. 4: Finish your last meal at least 2-3 hours before going to bed. You need to give your body some time to digest the food before you go to sleep. And, if you are awake ‘till late in the night and 4 to 5 hours have passed after you ate your last big meal, then you can have a little snack or a cup of warm milk before bedtime.

Does this sound like something you can easily follow? Give it a try and let me know if you feel a difference.

I will close by telling this short story: There were 2 men – one was wise, one fool. They were both asked to collect raindrops in a bowl. The wise men collected few drops every time it drizzled but the fool waited for a perfect rainfall to fill his bowl.  The wise men filled his bowl in no time while the fool continued to wait for a perfect time.

Stop waiting for a perfect time. Start working on making these small changes now. Little by little – you will definitely see the difference.

Are you a “Grazer” or “Gorger”?

Shobhna Batta

Mom – I am hungry” is my favorite childhood memory because it always followed by some home cooked or delicious healthy snack. As a child, I remember I was constantly hungry because of my growing body needs and I would only eat a little at each meal. I still eat a small meal every 2-3 hours.

I did not realize that I was a “grazer” until recently I read about it in my Health Coach course by Dr. Sears Wellness Institute.  Dr. Sears recommends this approach of eating rather than “gorging”, which is eating 3 big meals with long gaps in between.

According to Dr. Sears “Grazers” have:

  • lower blood cholesterol
  • less PPL (high blood levels of artery-clogging fats after eating)
  • less after-meal vasoconstriction (less artery narrowing)
  • more stable blood sugar and blood insulin levels
  • lower levels of stress hormones
  • leaner bodies

https://www.drsearswellnessinstitute.org/blog/eating-right-for-gut-health/

Now the challenge comes – with our busy schedule we don’t have time to plan 3 meals, let alone 6-7 throughout the day.  Here are some simple ideas for “grazing”:

  • Handful of nuts of your choice
  • Greek Yogurt
  • A slice of Cheese
  • Fruits like Banana, apples or bowl of blueberries
  • Boiled Egg

If you are planning to try “grazing” – keep in mind that “portion control” is the key.

Remember Dr. Sears Rule of 2s:

  • Eat twice as often.
  • Eat half as much.
  • Chew twice as long.
  • Take twice the time to dine

Have a Blessed Day!!

Here are some additional ideas for the healthy snacks to eat at work:

https://www.forbes.com/pictures/feki45eejdm/10-healthy-snacks-to-eat-at-your-desk/#11b97aee1ef2