Recipes

Using Natural Flavor Enhancers to Create Delicious and Nutritious Meals!

In recognition of National Nutrition Month^® 2016, work to Savor the Flavor of Eating Right! Many feel that the only way to flavor food is to add oil and/or salt. While oil and/or salt can be an important part of flavoring a dish, there are many other more nutritious and delicious ways to flavor foods using natural flavor enhancers. Natural Flavor Enhancers are food items that can be used to enhance the flavor of your food. It is recommended to experiment with the many possible flavor combinations by using several flavor enhancers in a dish. Below are examples of common flavor enhancers.

Heart Healthy Success with Meal Planning & Preparation- Easy Roasted Vegetable Batch Cooking Recipe

In our fast-paced lives, we demand meals on-the-go and often reach for the quickest options available. This most often involves purchasing pre-packaged or fast-food meals which are typically higher in sodium and saturated fat which are detrimental to our heart health. These quick options are also lower in fiber and phytochemicals (cancer fighting compounds found in the color of the food) that are found in plant-based foods which are important for our overall health. Optimizing your diet to include plant-based foods is a surefire way to increase the nutrient density of your diet and maximize your disease fighting potential. Spending time planning and preparing your meals each week is one of the best ways to ensure diet success for heart health. Here are a few easy tips to get you started in quick meal planning and preparation that you can start to incorporate into your routine.

Healthy Holiday Recipe: AFRICAN ALMOND STEW

Soups and stews can be a healthy addition to any holiday celebration. Be sure to use plenty of plant-based foods to maximize the nutrition of your meal. Soups and stews are a great way to increase your vegetable, starchy vegetable, legume, and even grain intake. Any mediocre soup or stew can become an amazing one with the addition of a simple thickener. Thicken soups/stews with nut/seed/peanut butter, pureed beans, or even pureed orange starchy vegetable such as pumpkin/butternut squash. Try this delicious stew which is thickened with almond butter. If avoiding nuts, use any of the other aforementioned foods as an alternative.

Eric’s Detox Salad

This salad below is rich in many compounds to help support the body and promote a healthy detox/cleanse.

The Stram Center offers comprehensive cleansing and detoxification programs. It is important to work with a trained healthcare practitioner to help guide you through a structured detox program. For additional information about our detox program, call the center at 518-689-2244 or visit http://www.stramcenter.com/services/cleansing-programs/

2016 A New Year for a New You!

Research and practice have shown the immense impact that lifestyle can play on our body as well as overall health. Many people feel that they lose control of their health when they are not feeling well or when life becomes busy or stressful. For this reason, the Stram Center believes it is essential to embrace a healthy lifestyle and allow people to take control of their health.

The coming of the New Year is a great time to work towards improving your lifestyle. Follow these 3 tips to become successful with your lifestyle transformation in 2016. Learn more about the Stram Center's New Improved Weight Loss and Lifestyle Transformation Program.

Blood Sugar Control with Proper Nutrition. Fabulous Fall Quinoa

Blood sugar spikes or major fluctuations in blood sugar may be problematic for cancer risk, cancer promotion, diabetes risk, as well as overall health. Research shows that major spikes in blood sugar may stimulate a growth hormone in the body called Insulin Like Growth Factor I (IGF1). IGF1 is needed in normal amounts for many body processes, however research shows that high blood levels of IGF1 may increase risk of certain cancers as well as diabetes. Major fluctuations in your blood sugar may also cause hormone imbalances, as well as increase risk of heart disease and diabetes. Below are easy tips for controlling the blood sugar, as well as a delicious and balanced recipe.

A Healthy Lifestyle is Essential For Battling Cancer

It has been estimated by the World Cancer Research Fund that one-quarter to one-third of the cancers that occur in the United States are due to poor nutrition, physical inactivity, and excess weight. This research supports the Stram Center's belief that embracing a healthy lifestyle is essential for anyone whose life is unfortunately touched with cancer. A healthy lifestyle can be defined by diet, exercise, stress management, and sleep.

Follow the recommendations and recipes below to optimize your health for cancer prevention, treatment, and survival.

1. Minimize pro-inflammatory foods

2. Boost your immune system

3. Promote a stable blood sugar

4. Balance your hormonal risk

5. Maximize the nutrient density of your diet: antioxidants, phytochemicals, vitamins and minerals- kale salad

6. Embrace all aspects of a healthy lifestyle

7. Pick your battles

Plant-based foods are rich in protective compounds including antioxidants/phytochemicals, which help boost the immune system and fight off cancer. Plant based foods are also rich in dietary fiber, which helps keep the bowels healthy, as well as help to grab onto and pull out excess hormones, cholesterol, drug metabolites, toxins, etc. Antioxidants, phytochemicals, and dietary fibers are a huge part of protecting against and fighting cancer in the body. These compounds are only found in plants, which mean the animal based foods are lacking in these protective compounds. Make dietary changes at your pace, but always work towards including as many plant based foods as possible to optimize your health for cancer prevention, treatment, and survival. See the following blog post for a tasty fall friendly anti-cancer recipe.

Broiled Sweet Potato & Chickpea Patties

For a tasty plant-based meal, try this tasty summer favorite, Broiled Sweet Potato & Chickpea Patties.

New One-on-One/ Hands-on Cooking Classes

Let Eric Sharer, MPH, RD, CSO, CDN teach you how to meet your unique nutritional needs with personal cooking and nutritional instruction.

Soy, Almond, or Coconut Berry Yogurt

Research has shown that diet can play a big role in men’s health. Numerous studies have found that diets high in saturated fat such as animal protein, poultry, and various dairy products, and low in dietary fiber, can increase risk of various diseases and disorders such as heart disease, Erectile dysfunction, various cancers including colorectal and prostate cancer, and diabetes. Several studies also have found a link between dairy consumption and increased risk of prostate cancer. In recognition of Men’s Health Month, try this delicious non-dairy yogurt recipe which is rich in dietary fiber, dairy free, and low in saturated fat if you do not use the coconut milk yogurt. Enjoy this for breakfast by adding fiber rich foods such as ground flaxseed or your favorite nuts/seeds.