Sugar Free Homemade Granola

Did you grow up with the nutty and wholesome smell of granola in the oven? I didn't, but thanks to this recipe, my mom now makes her own as well!

4 cups rolled oats

½ cup olive oil

½ cup maple syrup

½ cup EACH sesame OR sunflower seeds AND pumpkin seeds

1 cup chopped walnuts, pecans or almonds

1/8 tsp EACH nutmeg AND cinnamon

Dried fruit: craisins, raisins or chopped, dried apricots

Pour oats, seeds and nuts into a square baking pan. Then drizzle the wet ingredients over the top, slowly rolling all together with wooden spoons. Bake at 275 degrees until golden brown. I check and stir every 20-30 minutes.

While cooling, I toss in the dried fruit. We store this on our counter top with a ¼ measuring spoon for a quick snack when needed. I typically double this batch and it lasts us about two weeks.

The thing to remember with homemade granola is that you can change up the measurements and ingredients as you like. For example, switch up the spices, nuts, seeds, or dried fruit to something different and the taste completely changes. What you want to maintain is the ratio of wet to dry, specifically of and for the olive oil, syrup and rolled oats. You can also switch out honey for maple syrup and get a nice crunch with a little sweet. Sometimes that makes all the difference in the world.

Easy to give as a gift, just store in a Mason Jar, tie with a bow and you have yourself a last minute hostess gift, thank you or holiday gift.

Article Source: EzineArticles.com

Plant Based Diet

Get Health with a Plant Based Diet

What if one simple change could put you on a path to better health? And what if that change could even save you from obesity, heart disease and cancer? You have the power to transform your life by maintaining a plant based diet - no ifs about it.

While many omnivores feel that a meal without meat just doesn't feel like a meal, the vegan and vegetarian plant based lifestyle is growing in popularity just the same - and with good reason. A plant based diet moves away from animal-based foods like meat, eggs and milk, and incorporates more fruit, vegetables, legumes and grains. The less meat and dairy you eat the less fat you take in. This goes a long way when it comes to maintaining healthy weight and cholesterol levels.

If you're wondering whether you should try out a plant based diet, consider the top five benefits listed below. Keep in mind that you don't have to jump into a full-on vegan diet or vegetarian diet. Just limiting your intake of meat, poultry and dairy, and increasing vegetables, fruit and grains can do wonders for your health.

Top Five Benefits of a Plant Based Diet

1. Lower Cholesterol

Going green can dramatically lower the amount of LDL cholesterol in your blood - the bad kind that can lead to heart disease and stroke. Avoid butter, cut out fatty meats and opt for plant-based foods. Dairy and animal products are loaded with fat and have no fiber. Plant based foods contain no cholesterol whatsoever. That means vegan nutrition is much better for your heart and your health. It's even been proven by a recent study out of St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto, which found that a low-fat plant based diet can lower LDL cholesterol by 28 percent.

2. Lower Blood Pressure

When you eat fatty meats and dairy products, the viscosity of your blood increases, placing more pressure on the blood vessels. A plant based diet fills you up with veggies and fruit, which are high in potassium. Higher intake of potassium modulates blood viscosity. This is why vegetarians and vegans tend to have lower rates of hypertension, "the silent killer," according to observational studies published in the Nutrition Review.

3. Prevent Cancer

High-fat diets have been linked to higher rates of cancer. In fact the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine's Cancer Project showed vegetarians to be 40 percent less likely to develop cancer than meat-eaters. Meat tends to be high in saturated fat and low in fiber. Fiber plays a key role in keeping your digestive system clean and healthy, removing cancer-causing compounds before they can create harm. A vegetarian diet and vegan diet are high in fiber, low in saturated and trans-fats and typically include more fruit, vegetables and other cancer-preventing phytochemicals.

4. Avoid Heart Disease

The American Heart Association says 83 million Americans have some form of cardiovascular disease, and many of the risk factors, such as obesity, are at all-time highs. But you reduce your risk. Research has found that a balanced, low-fat, plant based diet can help reduce cholesterol, contribute to weight loss and lower blood pressure. All of which lead to heart problems.

5. Maintain Healthy Weight & Fitness

Those who follow a plant based, vegan or vegetarian diet generally consume fewer calories and have lower body weights than those who don't, according to the Mayo Clinic. Still, a plant based diet doesn't guarantee weight loss. You'll want to keep your intake of sweets and fatty foods low, choose whole grains, eat a variety of fruit and vegetables, and choose fat-free and low-fat dairy products. Also remember that cooking method counts. Steam, boil, grill or roast instead of frying. Your new diet will even give you renewed energy for physical exercise.

How to Transition to a Plant Based Diet

Aside from simply avoiding meat, there are ways to ease the transition to a primarily plant based diet. Increase the amount of grains, fruits and vegetables on your plate gradually until the meat is the smallest portion of your meal. An online vegan delivery service can make the process simple.

Article Source: EzineArticles.com

Seeds Are Nutrition Powerhouses

Plants have a perfectly designed approach for ensuring the survival of their species. Every flower or fruit produced by the plant is packed with seeds. Some seeds are microscopic, like the seed of the orchid, so small that it looks like dust. Others are gigantic such as the seed of a palm tree native to the Seychelles that can grow up to twelve inches long and weigh as much as forty pounds.

Despite their size differences, all of these seeds have something in common; they are packed with nutrition. Nature has no idea what type of soil or nutrients will be available externally. To give each seed the best fighting chance when conditions are favorable for germination, the plant packs it with a variety of essential nutrients that can sustain the young sprout until its roots are capable of extracting nutrients from the soil.

A wide variety of these seeds is edible and they add nutrition, flavors and new textures into our regular diets. They can also be great replacements for products that are sources of allergies, as in some nuts, and those that are far less nutritious, as in wheat crackers. Add a few seeds to your diet every day or as a snack and you'll gain valuable vitamins, minerals, proteins and essential fatty acids to your diet. Choose raw natural seeds to get the biggest bang for your buck. Roasting breaks down many essential nutrients and may even produce substances that are toxic to your system. This also applies to seeds that are coated with sugar, no matter how tempting those chocolate-coated sunflower seeds may be.

Many of these seeds can be thrown into a salad to add texture and nutrition, others can be used to make a seed butter, similar to almond butter and they can be eaten as a nutrient-packed snack between meals. You can also find a recipe for a multi-seed cracker that is simple to make and a highly nutritious replacement for wheat crackers. Add seeds to yoghurt smoothies and hot oatmeal breakfasts for a power-packed start to the day. All of these seeds are also excellent sources of fiber, which is often lacking in modern diets. Adding a variety of seeds to your regular diet can boost your brain health and your immune system and help to protect you from diseases including diabetes and heart disease.

A few commonly available seeds are worth noting. First among these is the diminutive chia seed. The chia seed is no longer the brunt of jokes from its Chia Pet fame. This little seed is loaded with protein, antioxidants, iron, calcium, vitamin C and omega-3 oil. Next comes hemp seed, which may be the richest source of essentially fatty acids available of any known food substance, including fish. The fatty acids in hemp seeds are provided in a form that is readily available to the body and similar to the form found in the body itself. It also includes all nine of the essential amino acids required by our bodies for optimal health.

Chia Seeds

Flax seeds are often used in weight loss diet plans to improve digestion by adding fiber and suppressing the appetite. The fatty acids in flax are also known for their anti-inflammatory properties. Pumpkins seeds are gaining in popularity because they produce alkaline rather than acidic material in your body. Pumpkin seeds also supply a lot of protein and vitamin B complex nutrients. Pumpkin seeds are rich in tryptophan, an essential amino acid that helps to keep your mood balanced.

Flax Seeds

Sunflower seeds are rich in vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant that supports healthy cells. Sunflower seeds also provide magnesium and they are believed to help lower cholesterol. Finally, sesame seeds are mineral powerhouses, loaded with manganese, copper, calcium, zinc, iron and phosphorous. They also provide vitamin B1 and are believed to have positive effects on lowering cholesterol.

Sunflower Seeds

The list of edible seeds is quite long and the flavors and textures are just as varied. Search for them in your local supermarket and have fun adding them to your favorite dishes and replacing some of your snacks with these highly nutritious choices. Take some with you when you travel and nutritious food options seem to be hard to find.

Article Source: EzineArticles.com