I picked up some whole wheat pancake mix a few weeks ago and finally got around to making them this week. I used the Whole Foods’ 365 store brand 100% Whole Wheat Organic Buttermilk Pancake Mix, but there are lots of great mixes out there. Another brand I like is Arrowhead Mills. If you’re up to it, you can make your own mix. (Try this one!)

Sometimes whole grain or whole wheat mixtures can make really dry and heavy pancakes, so I like to add my own fixings to increase the moisture. Sometimes I mash up a ripe banana and mix it into the batter. This week, I grated up apple and added finely chopped walnuts and cinnamon. The apple helped the pancakes stay moist. I had fresh blueberries and a sweet clementine on the side.

Apple Walnut Pancakes
(use organic ingredients where possible)

100% whole wheat or whole grain pancake mix
2/3 cup vanilla soy milk
1 tbsp. walnut oil
1 egg
1 small apple (I used macintosh)
100% pure maple syrup
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup walnuts

Stir together the pancake mix, soy milk, walnut oil, egg, and cinnamon in a bowl. Put the walnuts in a food processor, and process until you have a fine meal. Add the walnuts to the pancake mixture. Peel the skin off the apple and grate it using a fine grater over a separate, small bowl. Using a slotted spoon, lift the grated apple out of the small bowl to drain off any extra liquid, and add the apple to the pancake mixture. Fold the ingredients together, but don’t overmix.

Pour desired amount of mix into a non-stick pan over med-low heat. Flip pancakes once when bubbles begin to form. Serve warm with pure maple syrup and fruit.

Tip 1: You can substitute organic milk or water for the soy milk. You can also substitute sesame oil or other unrefined oil for the walnut oil. Tip 2: These pancakes are nice and filling, so I usually keep them fairly small.

Apple Walnut Breakfast Pancakes is a post from: Laurel On Health Food

Last week I wrote about “good” cholesterol and how it can help remove harmful cholesterol buildup in your blood and tissues (see my post: “What is Good Cholesterol and How Do I Improve It?“). As I mentioned before, extensive studies show that high blood cholesterol levels can greatly increase your chances of getting heart disease. While there are many factors at play (such as family history, stress level, physical activity level, and age), your diet has a tremendous influence on the amount of cholesterol in your blood and more importantly, on your risk for life-threatening diseases. So, in addition to increasing your intake of “good” cholesterol food sources, you should dramatically limit your intake of “bad” cholesterol foods.

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or “bad” cholesterol becomes problematic when you have too much. The sticky cholesterol particles build up in your arteries because of poor diet, lack of exercise, heredity, etc. This reduces the ease of blood flow and puts you at risk for heart disease and stroke.

If you want to reduce the amount of LDL cholesterol in your blood, you should limit your intake of: processed junk foods, sodas (including diet sodas), any sugary liquid drinks, animal products (high in saturated fats), hydrogenated fats (or trans fats), and excessive amounts of alcohol. Remember to check food labels to avoid hidden sources of hydrogenated oils and sugar (like high fructose corn syrup). An easy way to do this is eat foods that don’t have a nutrition label! See list of “good” foods here.

Note: When you do eat animal products, choose grass-fed and organic options because they contain less saturated fats. Healthier animals that get regular exercise and eat a vegetarian diet have healthier meat!

It is equally important (or perhaps more important) for you to cut down on your overall sugar intake, especially from processed or refined carbs found in foods like white bread and sugary breakfast cereal. Dr. Mark Hyman explains that, “Sugar in any form or refined carbohydrates (white food) drives the good cholesterol down, cause triglycerides to go up, creates small damaging cholesterol particles, and causes metabolic syndrome or pre-diabetes.” (Hyman) It’s also very very important to get regular physical exercise.

Doctor Oz recommends that you keep your low density lipoprotein (LDL) levels under 100 mg/DL.” Dr. Hyman says under 80. Your total cholesterol levels should be under 200. But, make sure to consider your own risk factors (such as Diabetes) and discuss with your doctor to determine the best healthy levels for you. (Sources: Dr. Mark Hyman, Dr. Mehmet Oz). Ask your doctor to have your blood cholesterol checked every year.

See also: LOHF’s “What is Good Cholesterol and How Do I Improve It?” and 14 Foods that Lower Cholesterol

What is Bad Cholesterol and How Do I Improve It? is a post from: Laurel On Health Food

Are you or any of your loved ones worried about your cholesterol levels? Are you taking cholesterol medication? It’s a hot topic in the U.S. because the incidence of heart disease is at an epidemic level. Cholesterol is not the sole reason people have heart disease, but it’s definitely a contributing factor. Experts agree that dietary cholesterol raises blood cholesterol and that high blood cholesterol levels increase your risk for heart disease. So, what can you do to help reduce your risk of high cholesterol and heart disease? For starters, you can increase your levels of “good” cholesterol. (I’ll discuss “bad” cholesterol and how to reduce your intake in a follow-up post next week).

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) or “good” cholesterol works to “remove excessive cholesterol from your blood and tissues.” (Dr. Dean Ornish) You can increase your blood levels of HDL cholesterol by eating a healthy whole foods diet and getting regular exercise. In addition, everyone’s body is unique. You may have higher or lower blood levels of “good” or “bad” cholesterol because of your age, genetics, family history, lifestyle, etc. Just remember that you want a higher blood level of HDL “good” cholesterol and a lower level of LDL “bad” cholesterol.

If you’re looking to increase your levels of “good” cholesterol, there are two types of foods you can eat more of: monounsaturated fats and soluble fiber. Some wonderful sources are whole grains (such as brown rice, oats, and quinoa), blueberries, almonds, walnuts, avocado, olives and olive oil, flaxseed, apples, fish, broccoli, and 100% pomegranate, cranberry, or concord grape juices. You can also enjoy red wine, in moderation.

According to the experts I’ve listened to or read, most are recommending that your level of HDL “good” cholesterol should be over 60 mg/dl. Your total cholesterol levels should be under 200. But, make sure to consider your own risk factors (such as Diabetes) and discuss with your doctor to determine the best healthy levels for you. (Sources: Dr. Mark Hyman, Dr. Mehmet Oz). Ask your doctor to have your blood cholesterol checked every year.

Stay tuned for my next post, “What is Bad Cholesterol and How Do I Improve it?”

See also: LOHF’s 14 Foods that Lower Cholesterol

What is Good Cholesterol and How Do I Improve It? is a post from: Laurel On Health Food

Are you an oatmeal breakfast junkie? Or do you avoid it at all costs? People are usually oatmeal lovers or oatmeal haters. Not too many in between. I love oatmeal, but I also make sure to dress it up so it’s flavorful and packed with nutrition. Oatmeal can be pretty boring and mushy otherwise, right? I’ve noticed lots of people kind of forget that they can add stuff to their oatmeal, and just go on eating it plain. It can get boring very quickly…and then you’re back to the dreaded bagel & cream cheese.

All oatmeal is not created equally. You want to avoid most of the pre-packaged packets that you microwave. They’re highly processed and usually contain unnecessary sugar and preservatives. If you have the time, steel cuts oats are one of the best options because they’re all natural whole grains and not processed. If you’re short on time, look for quick-cooking steel cut oats or any other old-fashioned oats with one ingredient. You can add lots of flavor later. I usually mix my oatmeal with water, but occasionally add a dash of soy milk for some creaminess.

Once you cook your oats, there are lots of fun toppings you can add in to pack it with flavor and nutrition. Here’s a few of my favorites:

• Toasted walnuts or almonds
• Fresh or frozen berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries)
• Dried goji berries
• Cinnamon
• Vanilla (little goes a long way)
• Honey
• Plums, peaches, pineapple, banana
• Cacao powder

Hoping this inspires you to “flavor up” your boring breakfast! If you keep a few of these things on hand, you can always have delicious oatmeal ready in 5 or 10 minutes.

Cheers! Leave me a comment if you have more ideas for dressing up your oats.

Better Than Your Average Oats is a post from: Laurel On Health Food

Tonight I kicked off the start of the week with some homemade roasted chicken and red pepper sandwiches. They were a hit! This recipe is loaded with healthy ingredients and makes a light but filling meal. The sandwiches have healthy fats (avocado, olive oil), greens (arugula, basil), veggies (red peppers, onion), protein (chicken), and whole grain bread. I served them with steamed asparagus on the side.

Wishing you well,
Laurel

p.s. These are perfect for anyone who is sensitive to dairy. While your bread may have trace elements of milk products in it, the sandwiches are otherwise dairy-free.

Roasted Chicken and Red Pepper Sandwiches
(recipe makes 2 sandwiches, plus leftovers)

4 slices whole grain bread
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 avocado
1 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 handful arugula
1 chicken breast, large
1 red bell pepper, cut into thick strips
1/4 cup yellow onion, sliced thin
Salt & pepper

Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper and rub with a little olive oil. Roast both the red pepper strips and the whole chicken breast on a sheet pan for 30-35 minutes at 350°. When they are finished roasting, remove them from the oven and set the chicken aside to rest for a few minutes before slicing. Cut the red pepper strips into 1-inch pieces. Then slice the chicken into thin strips. Set aside. Mash up the avocado in a bowl with the lemon juice and basil. Spread the avocado mixture on top of each slice of bread. Top one half of each sandwich with arugula, onions, roasted red peppers, and chicken. Sprinkle a little more pepper on top if you like. Cover with the other slice of bread.

Tip 1: Toast your bread in the oven once the chicken and peppers are finished to add a little crunch to your sandwich. When the bread is warm and toasted, I like to rub each side with a fresh clove of garlic. Tip 2: Serve pepperoncinis at the table to eat between bites of the sandwiches for a little spicy kick of flavor. Tip 3: Depending on the size of your bread, you might have leftover avocado, red peppers, onion, and chicken (I did). Wrap them up and bring it for our lunch the next day!

Roasted Chicken and Red Pepper Sandwiches is a post from: Laurel On Health Food

Do you ever feel like it’s too complicated or expensive to make healthy meals? I know the feeling, but I promise it doesn’t have to be that way. I made a simple, low-ingredient meal this week and wanted to share it with you. Sometimes, simple foods are really the best. My Curry Chicken and Eggplant recipe uses store-bought curry paste, which drastically cuts down on the ingredients you need. It also makes a big pot of food, so if there’s only one or two of you eating it, you’ll have plenty yummy leftovers for later.

Curry Chicken and Eggplant

3/4 cup onions
2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 eggplant
2 chicken breasts (medium/small)
1/2 cup coconut milk, unsweetened
2 tbsp. curry paste

Heat the olive oil in a deep saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for and additional minute. Add the curry paste and stir together with garlic and onions. Pour in the coconut milk and simmer for a few minutes. Cut up the eggplant and chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and add to the pan. Allow the chicken and eggplant to cook for about 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Serve immediately.

TIP 1: To make this a complete meal, you can serve it over some brown rice or other whole grain. If you prepare a big pot of plain whole grains over the weekend, you’ll have ready-to-eat grains to add to your meals all week. TIP 2: Here’s a picture of the curry paste I used in case you want to look for it at your local store.

Make it Simple is a post from: Laurel On Health Food

Some nights you just want a pizza, right? Monday was one of those nights at my place, so I made my own pie on the fly. By picking up a ready-made whole grain pizza crust, it was a very quick and easy meal to prepare. The crust came in a package at the store (looked like Boboli) and was made using several whole grain flours and seeds. You can check your local grocery store for any whole grain or whole wheat crust. Look for those that are free of trans fats and high fructose corn syrup. Sometimes you can find high-quality, natural doughs in the frozen section (but you’ll need to defrost them for at least 6 hours before baking). You’ll likely find the best selection at a health food store or Whole Foods. If you’re in the South, Publix usually sells their own pizza dough in the bakery (sometimes even whole wheat doughs!).

Here’s the recipe for my pizza. It really was a quick and easy dinner. As with many of my recipes, you don’t have to be a stickler on all the measurements (just use whatever looks good to you).

Quick Veggie Pizza

1 whole grain pizza crust
1 can organic tomato paste (small 6-oz can)
2 cloves garlic
1-2 tbsp. fresh basil
1-2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 yellow bell pepper
2 stalks of broccolini
1/2 cup fresh mozzarella
Salt & pepper

Prepare your pizza dough (either remove from package or roll it out if you’re working from scratch). Spread the tomato paste on top. Chop up your garlic and basil and sprinkle them on top of the tomato paste. Cut up the fresh mozzarella into thin slices and spread out across pizza. Chop up the bell pepper and broccolini and spread them out to complete your toppings (I cut the bell pepper into thin, 1-inch strips and remove the stalks from the broccolini to leave the leafy tops in small pieces). Drizzle olive oil on top of the pizza and season with a little salt and pepper. Bake in the oven according to directions for your dough. My pizza cooked at 350 degrees for 7-12 minutes.

That’s it! Looks tasty, right? If you try this one on your own, feel free to switch up the veggies to whatever you like. I served this pizza with avocado slices on the side.

Quick Veggie Pizza is a post from: Laurel On Health Food