The Hemp Connection:
food of the week

Just a few weeks ago, I was talking with my husband about the amount of money I spend buying healthy food every month. I often wonder why the foods that are the most damaging to our nutrition are so much less expensive than foods that protect and nourish our bodies in so many different beneficial ways. Then again, when I wander through specialty organic grocery stores, I wonder why some of the prices are so outrageous; however, every once in a while you stumble upon a food item that you just can’t resist trying, even if it more than you usually spend on good nutrition.

Since watching my weight is my third “full time job,” I’m always looking for foods to add to my list of staples, as well as adding some variety to my vegetable and protein intake. I’ve never been one to experiment with exotic foods, but in the last two months, I’ve found myself drawn to organic nut, seed, and coconut oil based products. With this new quest, I came across a wonderful product, Pistachio Pesto, made by Living Tree Community Foods. You’ve probably read on this very blog about the health benefits of pistachios, a powerful and protective nut that is a great addition to your diet. Check out the following link if you want to read up on the pistachio. http://www.incyst.com/2009/04/food-of-week-pistachio-nuts.html

While I’ve never been a fan of pesto, I couldn’t resist giving the Pistachio Pesto a try, particularly after reading the list of all organic ingredients, which includes sun-dried tomatoes, sun-dried black olives, raw sesame, and olive oil. So far I have tried the pesto on a high fiber cracker, which was delicious, and I’m sure I’ll experiment with this as a topping for vegetables very soon. If you would like more information on this product, you can visit http://www.livingtreecommunity.com/.

Stacey Frattinger, RD, CHFS
Owner of Formula FUEL
http://www.formulafitt.com/
Contact me @ formulafuel@hotmail.com

I was looking for a quick and easy meal to prepare for myself and a friend…and found this great option in the Trader Joe's freezer case!

Tilapia is a great"starter fish" for anyone who's thinking fish is just too strongly flavored to be a meal option. It's bland and it goes well with just about any kind of sauce, salsa, chutney…etc…that you might think of to top it with. Here's a chance to see what you think without much effort on your part!

I did a quick check around the Internet and most bloggers reviewing it also give it a thumbs up, with one caveat--you cook it in a traditional oven rather than in the microwave.

The dinner, with a salad and some quinoa, would easily serve two.

Give it a try and let us know what you think!

I had to write about chili rellenos. If you're in this part of the country, this is the time of year when the chiles are in full season. If I'm up at the family cabin in Pinetop, Arizona, near the New Mexico border, I'll see families from Hatch, NM, sitting on the back of trucks loaded high with chiles just begging to be brought home and enjoyed.

Hatch chiles are simply Anaheim chiles grown in Hatch; experts say they are the best tasting Anaheims grown.

If you've ever eaten chile rellenos (translation: stuffed chiles) in a Mexican restaurant, chances are, they're fried in way too much fat and filled with way too much cheese. I found this healthy chile rellenos recipe that is a little time intensive, but if you like to cook, it could become a favorite. The fatty fillings are replaced with ground turkey and quinoa, the health benefits of which which have been written about elsewhere in this blog.

If you're feeling really adventurous, here's a recipe for some mango-stuffed chile rellenos (photo above).

I could blabber on about the low-glycemic aspect of this meal, the antioxidants, remind you to use omega-3 eggs in your batter, blah-blah-nutritional-blah…but really, all I want you to do is make the rellenos, top them with some fresh salsa, enjoy your delicious creation…and then…see if you still feel like telling us it can't taste great to eat PCOS friendly?

Enjoy!