Archives for August 2015

Refreshing Strawberry Apricot Cooler!

August 31, 2015

Summer time may be coming to a close, but the heat is still very real in Alabama!

This all-natural beverage is a great way to have a cool refreshing drink without artificial colors, flavors and sweeteners! So here is what you’ll need:

INGREDIENTS:

4 oz 100% organic apricot juice
4-6 oz seltzer water (or plain water)
2 sliced strawberries
3 blueberry cubes (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Add juice and strawberries to cup. Let soak 1-2 minutes. Then add seltzer water and blueberry cubes.

ENJOY!

Please feel free to share this recipe using the social media icons below!

Superfood Sweet Loaf!

August 26, 2015

My superfood sweet loaf is a delicious concoction I came up with when we are really active during our soccer seasons. We look for a little extra carbohydrates during these times and this sweet loaf is a great way to get them! It is very dense, packed with nutrients, high in fiber and 100% whole wheat!

If you’re looking for something new to fuel you before races, boost you during your sports season, or just interested in something yummy to have with a hot cup of tea, this is it!

INGREDIENTS:

¼ cup walnuts, chopped
¼ cup almonds, chopped
4 carrots, grated
1 small apple, grated
¼ cup hemp seeds
¼ cup flax seeds
1 1/3 cup 100% whole wheat flour
¾ cup cane sugar
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ cup raisins
2 large eggs
½ cup safflower oil
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp coconut oil

DIRECTIONS:

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees
-Chop walnuts and almonds (I used a food processor)
-finely grate carrots and apple and set aside (I saved the fiber from juicing). This Breville 800JEXL Juicer is amazing! It is extremely sturdy and is worth every penny.

-In a large bowl whisk flour, sugar, hemp seeds, flax seeds, raisins, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon.
-In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, safflower oil, and vanilla extract

-Fold the wet ingredients along with carrot/apple mixture into the flour mixture. (I actually had to kneed it with my hands)

-Oil pan with 1 Tbsp of coconut oil so the loaf does not stick. (OR you can make individual muffins)

-Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
-Leave on a wire rack to cool.

This is our go to snack or breakfast for spring and summer soccer seasons. If you’re looking for something different, give the superfood sweet loaf a try!

Please share by using the social media icons below!

Enjoy!!

Top 5 Snacks You Might Catch This Dietitian Eating!

August 24, 2015

Everyone always asks, “what are the best snacks to have on hand?” So I thought it would be helpful to put my top 5 snacks together and explain why they are my go-to snacks!

ALMONDS- Almonds are a heart healthy snack that is easily transported, doesn’t need refrigeration, and doesn’t go stale for quite some time. You can always find these in my purse for a “just in case”. I also incorporate them into things like my own homemade TRAIL MIX! The heart healthy fats and 7.5 g protein per 1/4 cup tend to keep you satisfied until your next meal.
HARD-BOILED EGG- These are another portable snack I can keep in the fridge at work for those ravenous moments between meals. A large hard-boiled egg is low in fat (1.5 g sat fat) and contains plenty of protein (6.3 g). It is hand held which makes it easy to grab and go. If you are monitoring your cholesterol intake, just remove the yolk and have the whites alone.
APPLE AND PEANUT BUTTER- Granny Smith Apples with peanut butter are a great snack! A medium apple (with the skin on) provides you with plenty of fiber (4.7 g) and about 97 calories. It is a carbohydrate based food so pairing it with a fat/protein source such as peanut butter helps slow the digestion which prevents blood sugar spikes. Peanut butter is still high calorie, so you need to monitor intake. A serving is considered 2 Tbsp which will provide 189 calories, 7.7 g protein and 16 g fat (2.5 g sat fat).
COTTAGE CHEESE- I always keep reduced fat 2% cottage cheese on hand because it is fast and easy. For 1/2 cup, cottage cheese contains 12 g protein, 2.6 g fat and 125 mg calcium for 92 calories. So its pretty lean and very satisfying as a snack. If having fruit, this is a great protein to add to it to help prevent blood sugar spikes and slow digestion of the fruit.
PROTEIN SHAKE- Protein shakes are a great post workout snack to help with muscle recovery. They are super quick and easy to make. All you do is add 1 scoop of whey protein powder and 8 oz of your milk of choice (cow, almond, soy, etc.). Shake it well in a blender bottle and done!

These are just a few of my favorite snacks I keep on hand for those times when my hunger can’t wait until meal time. The snacks above will help keep you satisfied much longer than crackers, popcorn, cookies or cereal. And they definitely won’t break your diet!

If you know of anyone that could benefit from these snacks, please share using the social media icons below!

Enjoy!

Our Alaskan Adventure

August 21, 2015

Traveling is so important for overall health and experiencing life! The more cultured you are, the more you can share stories and experiences with friends and family. It can be a great conversation starter as well as help you gain appreciation for your state or country. The world is such a beautiful place, it would be a shame not to see it.

So for my birthday last year, we decided to backpack Alaska for a week!

So here we are getting dropped off at the airport with our camping pads and packs. This was all we took with us. I remember thinking “We have only backpacked the Appalachian Trail for long weekends… I hope we’ll do ok in AK!”

And I have to brag on my DEUTER Women’s Futura Pro 34 SL Backpack … It has been through so much! It is super sturdy, spacious and has done really well through all types of weather. If you are a female looking to backpack a weekend or even a week, this pack is excellent.

As we flew over Canada, I couldn’t help but take a photo of the beautiful snow capped mountains.

Once we landed, we took a cab to a hostel in Anchorage. This was our first experience with a hostel. It is one of the best ways to travel cheap!

It was really neat to see all the mom and pop places to eat and drink local brews. I didn’t notice very many chain restaurants in Anchorage which I loved. Always support the small businesses 🙂

The next morning we got up to board the train and head to Seward. The train was our main source of travel other than walking.

The Alaska Railroad is definitely one of the most scenic ways to travel. I would highly recommend it if you plan to visit AK. You see glaciers, wild life and have very comfortable/spacious seats.

And who doesn’t love trains??

Seward was the only place we did stay in a hotel. I love how in mid-July it is still 60-70 degrees and no air conditioning is needed. All buildings have windows open during the summer and space heaters for the winter. This was a HUGE change from Alabama!

Our first stop in Seward was Resurrection Bay.

Absolutely picturesque. We decided to take a day cruise on the bay and head to Fox Island for a meal. The cruise was great! We got to see all kinds of wild life! From sea otters to whales!

They were the CUTEST things ever!

And I believe the whales were humpback whales.

The day was a little rainy, mostly overcast, but we still had a great time. Fox Island had plenty to eat. The salmon was amazing of course. With it being as overcast/windy during this cruise, it was probably around 50 degrees so a light jacket was appreciated.

As you can see above, Fox Island is beautiful.

The next day in Seward was sunny and cloudless, so off we went to the Kenai Fjords National Park to climb up to the Exit Glacier.

This was almost to the top! It was a 6 mile hike through the Kenai Fjords National Park just to see the Exit Glacier. Elevation was 2, 475 feet and our legs felt every bit of it!

Even in the opposite direction, the view was spectacular. This is my hunny walking out to another viewing area.

Even the hike up was fantastic for viewing. Right after this photo we saw a black bear and her cub off in the distance.

The glacier itself is magnificent to see in real life. It is huge! There are tours you can take that allow you to climb the glacier itself. We decided to view it from afar.

As we hiked up this mountain, we could definitely feel the weight of the packs. But it was super nice to have water on you at all times!

Once we left Seward, we headed back to the hostel and stayed another night before we got back on the train and headed north to Denali. Here are some of the scenic shots I got on the ride up.

This is a great shot of the silt run off from a glacier! Silt contains lots of minerals from the glacier and mountain so it looks very gray and murky.

Another beautiful view on the ride up to Denali.

So once we made it, this was where the real camping began.

We reserved our campsite and set up for the night.

We were right next to running water which was so soothing to listen to while trying to sleep.

Best word of advice *** Bring a sleep mask! In Alaska, it is daylight for about 22 hours of the day. And even in those last 2 hours, the sun is only low in the sky… it is not gone.

And always put your belongings in bear-proof containers! Luckily our camp site provided some bear protection.

So after some sleep, we got up REALLY early to catch the bus out to Denali National Park.

We got to see tons of caribou…

And of course grizzly bears and cubs… I think we counted about 16 for the trip!

And of course the adorable ground squirrels!

The day we ventured into the park, it was a little overcast and chilly. But we could still see the Polychrome Mountains! They are called polychrome due to all the different colors within them.

And of course Mt. McKinley… We went all the way out to Wonder Lake to try to get a glimpse of it and it was just too cloudy!

The mosquitoes were atrocious! Lots of people knew to have mosquito net hats on and cover themselves in layers… I couldn’t believe how terrible they were.

And here is where you would have seen Mt. McKinley had it been a clear day. I believe we were told about 20% of people who visit the area actually get to see the mountain.

Maybe one day in the future we’ll get lucky enough to see it. The one thing about the weather in AK is that it is completely unpredictable. It changes so quickly that there really is no way to know if you will get lucky enough to see this mountain or not.

So after a long day of hiking around the park and riding the hybrid bus (that broke down a good bit) we went back to our tent and crashed for the night. The Thursday morning we woke up, packed up our tent, and took our last stroll through the woods before catching the train back to Anchorage.

After a long evening of trying to sleep with the sunlight and lack of a pillow, we tried to catch a bit more sleep on the train.

When we arrived in Anchorage it was about 8 PM and we decided to walk to town and have some dinner before taking our 7 mile trek back to the airport for our 2AM flight

During our walk to the airport, we saw a really neat airport for seaplanes. We had noticed these airports all over Alaska. I believe 1/3 of Alaskans are pilots.

One thing I thought was interesting on our travels back to Alabama, the Chicago O’Hare airport has an indoor garden which provides local produce and herbs to the restaurants inside. I don’t know why all airports aren’t doing this.

The trip to Alaska was a trip I will never forget. There is so much to do and see, I highly recommend it being on your bucket list. We have every intention to go back and hopefully see Mt. McKinley and do more back country hiking.

It is an experience you will never forget, so take a chance. Explore!

Guacamole Health Benefits and Recipe!

August 19, 2015

One of my favorite foods to whip together is guacamole! It adds amazing flavor to foods and is the best fresh! So how do you make it from scratch? Lets take a look!

INGREDIENTS:

2 avocados
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped ( I like a little more!)
1/2 lime
1/2 jalapeno (unless you like some kick, then use a whole jalapeno, seeded)
1 clove garlic, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

Slice avocados in half and remove the seed. Scrape out all of the avocados into your bowl. Then squeeze your lime until there is no juice left! After mashing your avocados in your lime juice, you’ll want to add your chopped ingredients next. Once your chopped garlic, jalapeno and cilantro are added to your bowl, mix very well. And voila! You have a delicious, fresh, preservative free guacamole!

With the acidic lime juice in the recipe, you could refrigerate this guacamole for about 1-2 days without the avocados turning brown.

So what are the health benefits of these foods??

Lets start with avocados…

AVOCADO: Avocados are a good source of dietary fiber, potassium, magnesium, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K₁, folate, niacin, pantothenic acid, choline, lutein/zeaxanthin, phytosterols. They are high-monounsaturated fatty acids, which is the heart healthy fat. The avocado oil consists of 71% monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), 13% polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), and 16% saturated fatty acids (SFA), which helps to promote healthy blood lipid profiles and enhance the bioavailability of fat soluble vitamins and phytochemicals. Avocados are very well known to be beneficial to heart health (in moderation). You do have to remember, because it is a great heart healthy fat source, it will still be high calorie. A serving of an avocado is around 1/5 of the fruit. But the average amount of consumption is around 1/2 of the fruit, which is the serving size that was used to gather the above data.

CILANTRO: Cilantro is loaded in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. It contains no cholesterol (since it does not have a liver) and may help lower LDL cholesterol due to its fiber content. The oil from the leaves help slow the oxidation process of foods. So it helps it stay edible longer! Cilantro (also called corianderum sativum or Chinese parsley) was shown to possibly reduce heavy metal toxicity. Particularly detoxification of lead in this particular study. What a win for cilantro!

LIME: Limes are an excellent source of vitamin C. We use vitamin C for immune health, tissue repair and to produce collagen. Collagen is kind of like the glue that holds your body together.

JALAPENO: Jalapenos contain an ingredient called capsaicin that is usually found in a lot of hot peppers. Capsaicin is actually known to assist in fat oxidation (or fat burning)! It can also act as an anti-inflammatory. If you’re an avid pepper eater, you probably already know capsaicin can assist in clearing up those sinuses and nasal passages. They also contain lots of vitamins and minerals which are great for immune health and fighting against other diseases.

GARLIC: Oh the benefits of garlic! I have actually done a whole blog itself on garlic so I will link that HERE.

There is nothing better for us than eating good, clean, natural food. I’m hoping that these blog posts are getting the message across that processed foods prevent you from getting all the benefits listed above.

I hope this post was educational! Please leave any questions in the comments below! And if you know of anyone that would enjoy this recipe, please share by using the social media icons below!

It’s Leg Day Y’all!

August 19, 2015

Everyone wants stronger legs and a tighter booty! But sometimes the equipment at the gym can be a little intimidating… So here is a step by step of a great leg routine that can help you on your journey to get-it-right and get-it-tight!

First, we start with squats!

You want to make sure your rack siding is high enough to catch your barbell in case you can’t make the final push back up to the standing position. I always recommend doing a body squat to get a good idea of where your barbell will hit. You want your barbell to be about 1-6″ above your rack sides at your lowest squat point. If you need help adjusting your rack sides, grab a gym staff member or nearby trainer.

You want to use a low weight when you do a warm up set. If you are looking to burn more body fat, push light weight for a set of about 15 reps. If you are looking to build up those quads and that booty, push the heaviest weight you can handle with good form for about 8-10 reps. Always do 4 sets.

In regards to form, make sure your feet are shoulder width apart. Try and keep your back as straight as you can (never round it). As you lower yourself into the squat position, make sure your chest is up, and you continue to breathe. A right angle is what you are looking for just like you’re sitting in an imaginary chair. Dig into the floor hard with your heels as you push back up to the standing position. Never roll up on your toes. Flat shoes are always recommended.

Next, we’ll look at one of my new favorite lunge discoveries… and boy you feel it the next day!

The key to this lunge is having two 45# plates stacked on each other and planting your front foot on top of the plates. This helps you achieve a deeper lunge and puts those glutes to work!

I would recommend a warm up set first with no barbell or only the barbell. You really want to move slowly to make sure you keep your balance.

As you come back up, drive with your front heel. This is where the booty action takes place! Warm up with a set of 8-10 reps. Then add weight appropriately. For more fat burning, 15 reps on each leg with lower weight. For lean muscle and booty building, use the heaviest weight you can push (with good form) for 8-10 reps. Always do 4 sets.

Here is a rear view:

Resting at the top.

Dropped into the lunge position.

Our third exercise is going to be the standing kick back!

This really gets the hamstrings and glutes.

I would recommend doing the movement first without weight just to get adjusted to the movement.

Brace yourself on the cable machine and lift one leg as shown in the mirror above. Then follow through with your reverse kick as high as your leg will kick back. You want to make sure you feel this in your glute/hamstring. If you don’t, you may want to increase your weight.

Continue this for 15 reps if you are looking to increase heart rate and promote fat burning, or increase your weight to build that booty and shoot for 8-10 reps with good form.

And lastly, the adductor machine! This is the machine everyone feels so awkward on, but it does such great work for inner/outer thighs! Today we are actually going to use it for booty building. So here is how!

In the photo above, I am leaned forward and my booty is hovering over the seat. The goal here is to stay low when you push out with your thighs. You want to stay hovering over the seat and push slowly to keep control. Keep everything tight and that will also help with your control.

Then push outwards while continuing to stay low and hovering over the seat. Shoot for 15 reps with the heaviest weight you can handle. Today, Kendra and I actually maxed out the machine at 210#!! Whooo hoo!!

This is a great leg day routine we had a blast with today! I hope you enjoy the burn as much as we did!

Garlic: What are the Health Benefits?

August 18, 2015

Garlic is a species within the onion genus (Allium) and is closely related to shallots, leeks and chives. During the autumn season, garlic cloves are planted and will be harvested in early spring. Here is a photo of our harvested garlic this spring.

Garlic has been known to be used in cooking and medicinally. For cooking, it adds a spicy and very bold flavor to foods.

Medicinally, we have always heard that it could be used for heart health. But why is that? And is that all it could be used for? Let’s take a look.

The active ingredient in garlic that everyone is so interested in is called allicin.

Medicinal uses for garlic (allicin):

1. There are studies that show using allicin for treatment of hyperlipidemia in mice reduces the fatty streaks (atherosclerosis) and can also reduce platelet aggregation.

2. Allicin is also well know for lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol which puts you at lower risk for heart attack or stroke.

3. While taking allicin, immune function of lymphocytes in cancer patients improved, production of carcinogens were inhibited and tumor sizes were reduced.

4. Free radicals that may damage endothelial cells may be stopped by aged garlic extract! This means garlic may help with diseases that hurt your endothelial cells like atherosclerosis, diabetes and inflammatory diseases.

GARLIC NUTRITION:

Serving: 1 clove (3 g)

Calories: 4

Protein: 0.14 g

Carbohydrate: 0.99 g

Fat: 0.02 g

Conclusion:

Garlic is only beneficial to your health. It has been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and reduces inflammation of the endothelial cells. What that means is that it reduces swelling of the cells that line your blood vessels which allows better blood flow. So your blood vessels are not so constricted and the opportunity for plaque build up is reduced.

Every chance I get, I add it to recipes. Not only for all the health benefits, but for the savory and spicy flavor!

Making Your Own Healthy Trail Mix at Home!

August 14, 2015

This is a great trail mix to keep on you at all times! It is loaded in vitamins and minerals, contains plenty of protein, and wonderful heart healthy fats!

My dad has been doing an amazing job losing weight by living a healthier lifestyle. So one thing we wanted to do for him was include something healthy in his birthday gift since we are so proud of all the success he has had. And this was the perfect healthy snack! He is always on the go and extremely busy at work, so I knew prepackaging his trail mix would be a great idea.

These containers are BPA-free 1 cup containers which help to monitor portion size as well as make your snack portable.

So to get started making your trail mix, here is what you’ll need!

INGREDIENTS:

Almonds, unsalted
Walnuts, unsalted (halved)
Edamame
Cherries, dried
Banana chips
Apple chips (home made)
Peanuts, unsalted

DIRECTIONS:

Mix all ingredients thoroughly! And done!

So now lets talk about the health benefits of each food.

ALMONDS: Almonds are a great source of vitamin E and assist in lowering cholesterol. They also may be helpful in lowering your risk for colon cancer! Heart healthy fats can also be found in almonds which help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. They are also used as a common protein source containing about 7.5 g protein, 207 calories, 18 g fat (1.4 g being saturated fat), 97 mg of magnesium, 96 mg calcium, 9.2 mg vitamin E for the serving size of 1/4 cup.

WALNUTS: Walnuts are loaded in antioxidants that help fight against free radicals that damage our cells. As listed above with the almonds, walnuts also fall into the category of lowering cholesterol and promoting heart health. Walnuts in a 1/4 cup serving will provide: 193 calories, 7.5 g protein, 18.5 g fat (1.1 g being saturated fat), 19 mg calcium and 163 mg potassium.

EDAMAME: Edamame is a young soy bean that has not hardened yet. Since most soy is genetically modified in the US, I suggest making sure your soy is organic or Non-GMO Project verified. Edamame provides lots of great nutrients like vitamin E, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, B-6, pantothenic acid, choline, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper and manganese. And for 1/2 cup you get about 65 calories and 6 g protein. It also adds a nice crunch to your trail mix!

CHERRIES: Dried cherries can add that sweet taste to your trail mix. They are a good source of vitamin C and A as well as copper! For 1/2 cup serving, you can expect about 133 calories and 0.5 g protein.

BANANAS: Bananas can be a double edged sword. They contain a lot of great nutrients, but are also very starchy. In one small banana you can expect about 90 calories, 1 g protein, 23 g carbohydrate, 362 mg potassium and 8.8 mg vitamin C. This is why I use just a few banana chips within my trail mix.

APPLES: Granny smith apples are an excellent way to get fiber in the diet (keeping the skin on)! These apples whole have been shown to help improve gut bacteria. And not to mention, “a high intake of white fruits and vegetables was found to be associated with a 52% lower risk of developing stroke, compared to a low intake,” says a study from the Journal of the American Heart Association. This would include apples and pears! Another reason to add more apples to the diet!

PEANUTS: Peanuts are another nut that provide good heart healthy fats that can help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. They do have more saturated fat (2.3 g per 1/4 cup) than the nuts listed above, but are still considered an excellent food to provide protein (9.4 g per 1/4 cup), 34 mg calcium, 1.2 mg zinc, 4.4 mg niacin and 3 mg vitamin E. For the 207 calories per 1/4 cup, one does stay satisfied having these for a snack.

Now you know why I choose what I choose for my trail mixes. If you know of anyone that struggles with healthy snacks, please share by using the social media icons below! Thanks!

Apple Chips Recipe!

August 12, 2015

If there is one food we love having at home, its apple chips! We throw them in our trail mix, take them on the beach or road trips, or have them at home for a quick snack. They are so simple and easy to make as long as you have a dehydrator. So I’ll walk you through the steps!

INGREDIENTS:

12 oz of 100% lemon juice
1 bag of granny smith apples

TOOLS:

Dehydrator
Apple corer
Slicer

DIRECTIONS:

First wash your apples well. You’ll want to core them one at a time to make sure you’re only using what will fit in the dehydrator. Once you remove the core of your first apple, you’ll want to slice it. Grab a bowl, and fill it with 8 oz of water and 8 oz of lemon juice.

This is your Apple Corer, Mandoline Slicer(over a bowl of your lemon juice solution), and first rack of your Dehydrator. When you core your apple, it should be a straight hole all the way through the apple. Don’t worry if there are seeds left inside. They will come out during the slicing.

Corers make life SO much easier when making apple chips!

I set my slicer on the thickest slice setting. If you want extremely thin chips with extra crunch, you may want thinner slices. The reason for the lemon juice is to keep the apple slices from oxidizing and turning brown. Once you’ve dunked all of the slices into the lemon/water solution, let them sit for about 30 seconds, then begin moving them into the dehydrator.

You’ll want to lay them on your dehydrator spaced out fairly well. If you slightly overlap other pieces of apple, its okay. They will shrink in size as they dehydrate. Once all of your racks are full of apple slices, set your dehydrator to run for 8 hours at 135 degrees Fahrenheit. This time and temperature work for the thicker apple slices. If you are choosing to make thinner apple slices, you may not need to run your dehydrator for 8 hours. Check on them about 6 hours into your dehydration process.

And 8 hours later, there you have them! Nice crunchy all natural apple chips! Chop them up and put them in salad or add them to your trail mix! Enjoy!

Turmeric: What are the Health Benefits?

August 12, 2015

We hear things all the time about new herbs and spices and what they can do for our health.

So what is turmeric?

Turmeric is a plant within the ginger family that is native in southwest India. It has been used in traditional Indian/Pakistani cuisines, curries and also as dyes.

The active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin, which has a distinctly earthy, slightly bitter, slightly hot peppery flavor and a mustardy smell.

Curcumin is the ingredient that has been studied to be beneficial to humans in many ways.

Studies are still being done on these benefits and here are some of these things that have been found thus far…

1. There was a significant improvement in people who used curcumin for indigestion and inflammation. Turmeric is really well known to reduce joint pain due to its anti-inflammatory response. This is still being studied, but curcumin is available in the extract form if you would like to experiment with this.

2. Curcumin is beneficial by improving the function of the endothelium, which is the lining of the blood vessels. So this means reducing the risk for heart disease.

3. Curcumin acts as an antioxidant against free radicals in the body. What does this mean? Free radicals can attack DNA which could possibly lead to cancer. There is also information leading to curcumin helping prevent the metastasis of tumors and reducing tumor growth.

4. And last but not least, it can improve memory and possibly brain function.

These are just a FEW of the reasons I love turmeric and add it to almost any and every dish I prepare. So throughout this blog, you will likely see it repeated in my recipes.