Fun With Flax

So I've taken on a personal challenge for the month of September and that is to try to incorporate ground flaxseed into my diet more often. Why would I try to find ways to include this relatively boring ingredient? Glad you asked...
Ground Flaxseed is brimming with health benefits: most notably it's high amount of omega-3 fatty acids, lignans, and fiber. (See above nutritional info from whfoods.com)

Omega-3 fatty acids effect cellular functions involved in ensuring a normal heart rate and coronary blood flow (i.e.- help to keep your heart healthy and your arteries clean!). Omega-3s can also help alleviate some forms of inflammation such as arthritis and joint pain.

Lignans are a form of phytochemical that has increasingly been linked with reduced risk of breast cancer, prostate cancer, and reduced hair loss (to name a few).

Fiber: everyone is trying to get more fiber in their diets. Food manufacturers have been quick to pick up on this trend and now you can even get fiber-fortified fake sugar, thank you Splenda. But guess what- this is COMPLETELY unnecessary! 2 tbsps of ground flaxseed delivers almost 20% of your RDA for fiber. Aside from assisting in keeping things moving through your digestive tract, fiber can also help lower your risk of diabetes and heart disease. Two diseases which are all too prevalent in the US.

Clearly ground flaxseed is amazing with a multitude of health benefits and there really are a few easy ways to incorporate this into your diet. With it's slight nutty flavor it can add a great contrast to any number of foods!

• Add to a cup of yogurt (you can even add it to ice cream!)
• Add to the Brussels Sprouts recipe below!
• Throw some into the next muffins, cookies, pancakes, etc that you make
• Throw some on top of soup...Doesn't alter the flavor but you still get the benefits!
• Add into scrambled eggs
  

"Smart Choices" Article

Great article about how "Smart Choices" labels don't actually mean healthy food!

http://www.forbes.com/2009/09/17/smart-choices-labels-lifestyle-health-foods.html?partner=forbeslife_newsletter

The Best Filet You'll Ever Make

Even though I keep a mostly vegetarian diet, every once in a while there's nothing i want more than a nice filet.
Filet mignon is one of the cuts of beef with the lowest fat content. This leaner cut is obviously an excellent source of protein. Lean beef is also a good source for Vitamins B12 & B6. The combination of these vitamins helps maintain healthy nerve cells and red blood cells, and B12 is also needed to make DNA.
I love the recipe below because the sauce is light(er) and the meat is so fantastic it really only needs a drizzle of the reduction. It's also a little lighter on butter, flour, and other ingredients that tend to junk up sauces.
Pair it with some broccoli on the side for a perfect dinner!

• Cooking spray
• 4 (4-ounce) filet mignon steaks
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 1/4 cup minced shallots
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 cup cabernet sauvignon
• 1 cup fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
• 2 teaspoons butter

Directions:
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle both sides of steaks evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add steaks to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from pan. Add shallots to pan; sauté 1 minute. Stir in vinegar and soy sauce, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; cook 1 minute or until liquid evaporates, stirring constantly. Add remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, wine, and broth; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 11 minutes). Remove from heat; stir in butter. Serve with steaks.
(Cookinglight.com)

Using Fresh Ginger- My Favorite Salad Dressing

Second to cinnamon, fresh ginger is my favorite ingredient to cook with! Ginger has long been known to be a great digestive aid. (Steeping a piece of fresh ginger root in hot water can do wonders to ease an upset stomach)
On top of attention for it's ability to ease digestive issues, ginger has also received more attention for benefits treating arthritis and other inflammatory diseases. The main active components in ginger are anti-inflammatory compounds called gingerols (Which also account for ginger's unique flavor). More support of ginger's anti-inflammatory benefits can be see by going to http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=72#healthbenefits.
So now we know why ginger is so healthful.. how can we include it in our diets without having to drink cups of ginger tea everyday?... Below is an AWESOME salad dressing recipe from EatingWell.com. I make this about once every two weeks and get about 4 servings out of it. You only need about 1-2 tsp of the dressing to really add amazing flavor to any salad.

• 2 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger (or more to taste)
  
• 1 teaspoon ground fresh ginger
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl. Add to a salad with your favorite veggies and enjoy!