Sprouts are one of the most nutritious foods known to man. Praised for containing live nutrition, sprouts are a high source of vitamins, minerals and amino acids.  Sprouts are known to be major antioxidants which help to fight off many illnesses and disease. Studies suggest that 100 grams of sprouts a day may help to prevent cancer.

Add some more sprouts into your diet by placing them on all cooked/raw foods. They taste especially yummy in salads or as a topping for stir fry. You can purchase sprouts at your local farmers market or produce department. Make sure you wash sprouts prior to eating to avoid bacteria. 

I was shockingly surprised how easy it was to make my own sprouts when I made them for the first time last week.  The photo is from “my 1st batch”. The secret to growing succulent sprouts is timing; for rinsing and harvesting. Ideally sprouts should be rinsed 2-3 times per day and grown in a cool climate.

Want to grown your own sprouts? Watch this video to learn how.  

I created this recipe for my first batch using a little this with a pinch of that.

Tangy Sprout Salad

1 ½ cup (homemade) mung bean sprouts
1 cup shredded carrot
4 green onions, chopped
2 small boxes organic raisins
4 TBSP hempseeds
4 TBSP chopped parsley
3 TBSP Japanese salad dressing, Renee’s

Wash and dry bean sprouts. Shred carrot and place in bowl with sprouts. Add remaining ingredients and stir well. Place in fridge 3 hours before serving.  Tasty and nutritious, this recipe tastes great as a side dish for chicken or fish, or used to top salad.

Do you make your own sprouts? Share your secrets (and recipes) with me by posting a comment below or sending an email.

This summer Wendy’s launched a new salad campaign that promised to improve value and flavor.  But the questions remains, what about nutrition? So off to Wendy’s I went to try the most creative and reinvented salad, the Baja. 

This new garden salad sensation is an improvement from the taste of the former Southwest Taco Salad.  I enjoyed the spicy Pico de Gallo but thought the guacamole was a little flat.  The cost was far from an improvement, with an investment of $9.80 including tax (PEI) for this bowl/dish. 

And so for nutrition this was even more disappointing then the inflated price.  This salad, when eaten “as is with no dressing” is a whopping 47 grams of fat.  For the record, that’s more fat then I eat in 1 day.  It boasts 740 calories, with over ½ of them coming from fat.  With slightly under 2000mg sodium, this salad is a HUGE no-no. I would never recommend my clients on See Results eat it.

It’s also important to note the several ingredients found in this salad, which has been copied from the Wendy’s website.

Baja Salad

Iceberg, Romaine and Spring Mix, Pico de Gallo, Wendy’s Chili, Guacamole, Cheddar & Pepper Jack Cheese Blend. 

Spring Mix- Baby Lettuces (red & green Romaine, red & green oak, red & green leaf, lolla Rosa, tango), Spinach, Mizuna Arugula, Tatsoi, Red Chard, Green Chard.

Pico de Gallo- Tomatoes, Onions, Pico de Gallo Base (water, soybean oil, distilled vinegar, jalapeno peppers [including dehydrated], lime puree [lime juice concentrate, water, pulp cells, lime oil, lime peel], salt, concentrated lime juice, xanthan gum, onion [dehydrated], garlic [dehydrated], natural flavors, oleoresin rosemary), Cilantro. 

Wendy’s Chili- Chili Base (water, tomatoes, salt, citric acid, calcium chloride), Ground Beef, Vegetable Mix (onions, celery, green peppers), Chili Beans (beans, water, sugar, corn syrup, salt, natural flavorings, onion powder, calcium chloride), Kidney Beans (kidney beans, water, sugar, corn syrup, salt, natural flavorings, onion powder, calcium chloride, disodium EDTA [preservative]), Chili Seasoning (sugar, salt, modified corn starch, chili pepper, onion powder, spices, dextrose, garlic powder, citric acid, disodium inosinate & guanylate, xanthan gum, autolyzed yeast extract, soybean oil, caramel color, extractives of paprika, malic acid, red 40, natural and artificial flavor, silicon dioxide [anticaking agent]).

Guacamole- Hass Avocado, Tomato, Onion, Jalapeno, Salt, Cilantro, Sugar, Erythorbic Acid and/or Ascorbic Acid (to maintain color), Jalapeno Chili Powder, Garlic (dehydrated), Onion (dehydrated) , Citric Acid, Lime Juice Powder.

Cheddar & Pepper Jack Cheese Blend- Cheddar Cheese (cultured pasteurized milk, salt, enzymes, artificial color, potato starch and powdered cellulose [to prevent caking], natamycin [a natural mold inhibitor]), Monterey Jack Cheese with Jalapeno Peppers (cultured pasteurized milk, jalapeno peppers, salt, enzyme, potato starch and powdered cellulose [to prevent caking], natamycin [a natural mold inhibitor]). CONTAINS: MILK

Seasoned Tortilla Strips- Whole Corn, Vegetable Oil (contains one or more of the following: corn, soybean, sunflower or cottonseed oil), Sea Salt, Corn Maltodextrin, Buttermilk Powder, Spice, Tomato Powder, Sweet Cream, Onion Powder, Cheddar Cheese (milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes), Sugar, Gum Arabic, Vinegar Solids, Nonfat Milk Solids, Rice Concentrate, Garlic Powder, Natural Flavor, Citric Acid, Extractives of Paprika, Disodium Phosphate, Soy Lecithin. CONTAINS: MILK, SOY.

So the proof is in the poor nutrition and inflated, and the price. This new salad sensation is a HUGE flop, in taste, price and nutrition. If you must choose a Wendy’s salad try the apple pecan chicken salad for a flavorful and lower fat meal. 

Overall this salad gets 2 out of 5 stars, 

Have you tried the new Wendy’s salads? I would love to know your thoughts. Please post your comments below.

What do you get when you combine creamy peanut butter with chicken, broccoli and linguini? This nutritious family favorite dish! What a great way to get your children to eat healthy.  Thai cuisine all about flavor combinations, and this recipe is a notch above perfection.  Slightly hot yet creamy, this complete meal aims to satisfy any pallet. Try it for supper tonight. This recipe is compliments of Rachelle Wood Nutrition and the online weight loss program See Results.

Thai Chicken Broccoli Salad        makes 4 servings

4 ounces uncooked whole wheat linguine

1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

1 pound skinless, boneless, chicken breasts, cut into cubes

2 cups broccoli florets

2 TBSP cold water

2/3 cup chopped red bell pepper

6 green onions, sliced into 1 inch pieces

¼ cup creamy “Just Peanuts” peanut butter 

2 TBSP hot water

2 TBSP soy sauce (Braggs, low sodium soy sauce, etc.)

2 tsp dark sesame oil

½ tsp red pepper flakes

1/8 tsp garlic powder

¼ cup unsalted peanuts, chopped  OPTIONAL (omit to lower fat intake)

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, and set aside. Coat large non-stick skillet with oil; heat over medium high heat. Add chicken and stir fry for 5 minutes or until chicken is no long pink. Remove chicken from skillet. Add broccoli and cold water to skillet. Cook, covered for 2 minutes. Uncover and cook for another 2 minutes or until broccoli is crisp-tender. Remove broccoli from skillet. Combine pasta, chicken, broccoli, bell pepper and onions in a large bowl. Blend peanut butter, hot water, soy sauce, oil, red pepper flakes, and garlic powder in small bowl. Drizzle over pasta mixture; toss to coat. Top with peanuts before serving.

Do you have a healthy family favorite recipe to share with other blog readers? If so email it to us for taste testing.  I’d like to thank a client from Summerside who suggested I share this popular client recipe with blog readers.

Now here’s a recipe that makes me think SUMMER! Blended with many textures and tastes, this salad makes a great meal for lunch or supper.  Its Oriental homemade dressing nicely accents the tart spinach and sweet mandarin orange combination. Many restaurants serve a version of this salad, but you can make it yourself for a fraction of the cost. Make it tonight for supper!

This recipe is compliments or Rachelle Wood Nutrition, and can also be found within the online weight loss program See Results. 

 
Warm Chinese Chicken Salad

3 cups romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
½ pound baby spinach, washed
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
3TBSP soy sauce
1TBSP honey
¼ TSP ground ginger
2 TBSP oil
1 pound chicken breast cut into 1 “ pieces
3 TBSP scallions, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced

Combine lettuce, spinach and oranges in bowl. Whisk together soy sauce, honey, ginger and 3 TBSP of water. Set aside. Heat oil in wok, stir fry chicken until done but still tender about 5 minutes. Add scallions and garlic, cook another minute. Add sauce and cook, tossing for 30 seconds. Pour chicken and sauce over greens and toss. Sprinkle with chow Mein noodles or raw cashews (optional). This recipe is low in fat and high in fibre. It's a favorite with weight loss clients. 

Do you have a healthy recipe to share with other blog readers? If so, email it to us. Did you try this recipe? Don’t forget to rate it below.

Over the past few weeks several clients have emailed me this link. After taking a peek I think everyone who eats fruits and vegetables should watch these videos. You are what you eat, and if you forget to wash and inspect your produce you risk eating several species of insects.

Of particular interest was the tutorial about strawberries, one of my favorite fruits. The video is absolutely shocking.  I will never think about strawberries in the same way again.

Another honorable mention goes to green leafy vegetables, in particular lettuce.  As a Registered Holistic Nutritionist and advocate of eating whole live natural foods, I encourage everyone to eat more greens.  The site recommends you soak greens in a soapy solution for at least ½ hour. Rinse well.  It’s important to choose greens wisely through inspection.

Make sure you:

1. Make a complete, leaf by leaf inspection, checking both sides of the leaf.
2. Wash off any insects prior to use.
3. Chop/cut lettuce, eat and enjoy.

When I studied ecology at The Canadian School of Natural Nutrition, my instructor taught us that if bugs were found on produce it was usually more nutritious and most likely organic.  Insects hate pesticides; therefore organic produce tends to yield more bugs.  By practicing proper inspection and washing methods you can make sure your produce (organic or non-organic) is pest free.

I’ve often wondered if pre-packaged pre-cut produce we purchase at the grocery store is washed prior to packaging? Bags of salad greens often say “triple washed”, yet in small print on the back of the bags suggest washing prior to consumption.  This leaves me confused. Is it safe to eat prepackaged vegetables without washing? Perhaps you should be the judge. I think I’ll be safe and take the precaution to wash it anyway.

I would love to hear your thoughts about this post. If you can answer my question I’d love to hear from you too. Just email me.