Four Must-Have Carbs to Lengthen Your Life

In addition to fresh fruits and vegetables, the best foods for health and long life are whole grains.

Whole grains, aside from delivering more nutrients, including fiber, minerals and vitamins, are nuttier and chewier than refined grains. Oats, quinoa, bulgur, barley and other whole grains also add flavor to everyday meals and—because of their fiber—can help you feel full longer. An Archives of Internal Medicine study suggests that eating more whole grains (and fewer refined ones) might help you live longer. Scientists suspect that the fiber in whole grains reduces your risk of dying from cardiovascular, respiratory and infectious diseases.

See a selection of recipes for the four great grains: OATMEAL, QUINOA, POPCORN and WHOLE GRAIN PASTA here (click on link). One with oatmeal is below. Enjoy!




Get whole-grain goodness from this breakfast treat

 Recipe: Oatmeal-Rhubarb Porridge
Makes 3-4 servings
Ingredients



1 1/2 cups nonfat milk or nondairy milk, such as soymilk or almond milk

1/2 cup orange juice

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup 1/2-inch pieces rhubarb, fresh or frozen

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of salt

2-3 tablespoons brown sugar, pure maple syrup or agave syrup

2 tablespoons chopped pecans or other nuts, toasted (see Tip) if desired

Instructions:
Combine milk, juice, oats, rhubarb, cinnamon and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat, cover and cook at a very gentle bubble, stirring frequently, until the oats and rhubarb are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Stir in sweetener to taste. Top with nuts.

Foods that help you sleep

We all know that staying active (aka exercising) and eating right are major components in maintaining good health. Getting enough restful sleep is just about as important, too. Here's an interesting piece from an excellent food blog called The Daily Meal (http://www.thedailymeal.com/). According to the article "9 Foods to Help You Sleep," the brain needs two things to produce enough serotonin to send you happily to la-la land. They are the amino acid tryptophan, and some sort of carbohydrates. The nutritionist writing the article suggests that a snack that consists of some of these foods about an hour before bed is great for getting your shut-eye.

1. Oatmeal with Milk or Walnuts

A good snack to have before bedtime because it combines carbohydrates with protein.

2. Yogurt

A great food because it’s about half carbohydrates and half protein.

3. Hummus

Eat this with some pita for a perfect mix of both protein (from the chickpeas) and carbohydrates.

4. Warm Milk

Has tryptophan, and there's also the soothing aspect of sipping a warm beverage.

5. Bananas

Contain tryptophan, melatonin, seratonin, and magnesium, which can act as a muscle relaxant. Try them with some peanut butter and toast.

6. Turkey

While it’s a well-known source of tryptophan, almost any type of poultry has similar amounts of it. Try eating half a turkey or chicken sandwich.

7. Potatoes

Contain both tryptophan and carbohydrates, so eating a few as a small snack before bed could help you sleep.

8. Almonds

Have both tryptophan and magnesium, so you could also try adding these to your oatmeal.

9. Tart Cherries

Contain melatonin, which helps regulate sleep. These are the sour ones used in pies, not so much the sweet Bing cherries that you can eat plain.

Read more: http://www.thedailymeal.com/foods-help-you-sleep-0#ixzz1JEOtJxHL

What's for breakfast?

Healthy foodies don't skip breakfast--and don't skimp on breakfast, either. I always like a fairly hearty morning meal, but it has to be nutritious, low fat, and quick to prepare.

This is one of my longtime breakfast short-cuts: a fruit and nut mix (in metal bowl at left) that I make up in a large batch, then add a few heaping tablespoons to a bowl of oatmeal. (If you don't like oatmeal, put it in your cornflakes!) Whip this together on a Sunday afternoon or a weeknight, store in the fridge in tupperware, and all you need is the cereal and milk. The mix also freezes very well.

Ingredients:

One or two apples, cored (but not peeled), sliced and then coarsely chopped

One container fresh blueberries or 1 1/2 - 2 cups frozen berries

1/4 cup (or more) chopped walnuts or pecans

1/4 cup dried cranberries and/or golden raisins

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Brown sugar/Splenda mix or straight Splenda, to taste (I use about 6-7 packets of Splenda for this amount--you can always add more to your bowl of oatmeal after cooking)

Instructions:

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl until well blended

Transfer to a plastic container with a tight lid (for storing)

To serve: add 3-4 heaping tablespoons to a portion of dry oatmeal -- I use 1/3 cup. Pour milk or soy milk just to cover the dry oatmeal. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, or a little more depending on your oven. Stir and add more milk until it's the consistency you like.

P.S. -- Play with the proportions and ingredients until you find your favorite combo of flavors. Try other spices, such as cardomom or nutmeg, or other fruits and nuts. After much experimentation, however, this is my fave.