Countdown to Fitness

You may want to reconsider eating that piece of bread or sandwich. While most everyone knows that white flour is not healthy to begin with, the bleaching agent, itself, creates a dangerous by-product that actually causes diabetes.

It’s well known that refined flour is not healthy because it is bereft of most nutrients.  In the refining process, the bran — outer layer of grain, which contains dietary fiber, essential fatty acids, starch, protein, vitamins, and dietary minerals — is removed. Also, the cereal germ, or reproductive part of the plant that contains many nutrients, is also removed to prevent the flour from going rancid. What’s left, the endosperm, is a simple carbohydrate that quickly converts to sugar in the body, which spikes insulin.  It’s almost as bad as eating table sugar straight from the bowl. (more…)

I originally got the idea for this recipe from a recipe at About.com; however, I’ve made some changes, making this Paleo friendly.  Also, I cooked it differently than the original recipe.

The tenderloin is actually the leanest part of the pig.  I actually had two in my package, so my recipe is based on this.

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Are you performing a simple test to see if your fish oil is rancid and storing it properly to reduce the chances of it causing disease?  Most of us take it for granted that our fish oil is safe and providing the many touted, wonderful benefits we often hear about.  However, fish oil is harmful to one’s health if rancid and releases large amounts of free radicals in the body, which can cause cancer and other diseases.

Typically fish oil is very beneficial.  It contains essential omega-3 fatty acids, which are labeled “essential” because our bodies don’t make this substance, so we must get it from the food we eat or supplements we take. Omega-3s not only reduce inflammation, but they also have many other possible health benefits.  These fatty acids have been shown to reduce blood pressure and blood triglyceride levels and may be helpful in reducing the inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis.  There is also some evidence that omega-3s can reduce depression and anxiety, ischemic and thrombotic strokes, and cancer risks.  Additionally, there is some evidence that it boosts immune function. (more…)

I was inspired to make this recipe after seeing the Fish Kebabs with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce recipe in the book Cook Yourself Thin Faster: Have Your Cake and Eat It Too with Over 75 New Recipes You Can Make in a Flash! (There is a different variation on the Cook Yourself Thin website: Kebabs with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce.) I’ve made a few changes, and the recipe was a big hit.

Tip: I’m using grass-fed beef, which cooks faster than corn-fed beef.  Increase the cooking time as noted for corn-fed beef.

Serve with brown rice or over a bed of salad greens. (more…)

This is my favorite recipe for any of the meats that need to be cooked longer to make them tender.  I always use grass-fed and pastured meat.  Not only is this recipe great with beef, but I love it for lamb and pork roasts as well.

I originally got the recipe from Simply Recipes and modified it.  While the original recipe uses boneless meat, I use bone-in and boneless meats alike.  If you are using grass-fed and pastured meats, the original recipe cooks the meat way too long because grass-fed meats are leaner. If you are using conventional, grain-fed meat, add about 30% to the cooking time. (more…)