T’was A Superfood Christmas

T’was a Superfood Christmas, and all through the house,

The decorations complete, even tea towels with Mickey Mouse.

Some snacks before dinner, cinnamon coated walnuts with care.

Saving the dark chocolate for dessert, with almonds to spare.

There was spinach and roasted pumpkin salad,

Garlic & Lemon dressing made it more superfood valid.

Took the bottle of red wine out of the gift wrap,

Steamed the broccoli, peas and beans - no time for a nap.

Tarts with cranberries and cherries adorned the Christmas platter,

Saving the blueberries for the morning, for pancake batter.

That was my version of the traditional Christmas poem that I’m sure you’ve heard more than a few times before.  Just because it was Christmas, it was not a reason to overindulge.  The superfoods were in abundance in our home.

Superfoods contribute to a healthy body and mind.  Our Christmas Eve menu consisted of  almonds and walnuts as snacks.  The sparkling shiraz was the start of the red wine health benefits, and red wine to accompany the meal.

A mixture of different berries:  blueberries, cherries and cranberries gave us many health benefits.  Broccoli, spinach and pumpkin were packed with superfood benefits and of course, a bit of dark chocolate and sweet potato pie for dessert.

Christmas morning started with an early swim at the beach, to get our exercise to start the day. Then we came back and had pancakes for breakfast.  The pancake batter was wheat-free and dairy-free with blueberry superfood benefits.

Wishing you a very healthy start to the new year - all the best to you and yours for a fabulous 2010!

Chiropam

Tags: almonds, benefits, Blueberries, broccoli, cherries, chocolate, Cranberries, exercise, Garlic, Health, pumpkin, Red Wine, spinach, Superfoods, walnuts

Superfoods - Cranberries

T’is the Season…for Cranberries!

Cranberries not only taste great alongside turkey, stuffing and other holiday favourites - they are also great for packing a health punch during this festive time of year. While a lot of us consume jellied cranberry sauce every holiday season, many don’t realise that they are receiving health benefits at the same time by eating this powerful little berry. Not only during the hectic holiday season, but year-round as well, this powerful little berry is the perfect solution for contributing to good health.

Cranberries in the Raw

I recently made a beautiful jellied cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving that I found on YouTube. I celebrate Thanksgiving here in Australia with my American friends that live here too. During the year, I keep frozen cranberries in the freezer, for a treat or if I just want to make the cranberry sauce before the typical holiday season. Other ways to get health benefits from cranberries are cranberry juice and/or dried cranberries.  Dried cranberries are a great snack for in between meals or mixed through a salad for a little tang packed with health benefits.

Cranberries contain significant amounts of antioxidants and other phytonutrients that may help protect against heart disease, cancer and other diseases. Considered a superfood because of the various health benefits, they can help prevent bacteria causing infections, particularly in the bladder and urinary tract. They are a great natural preventative for recurring bladder infections. If you don’t consume cranberries in some form or another regularly, cranberry tablet supplements are available from your local health food shop.  What is your favourite way to get your health benefits from cranberries?

Tags: benefits, Cranberries, Health, Health Benefits, Superfoods, Wellness