Diet blog, Weight Loss Help, And Recipes!

Why You Should Eat More Beets!
 

Beets can’t be beat! Beets are packed with so many good-for-you vitamins and micro-nutrients that you should seriously consider adding them into your diet.   Traditional wisdom states the sweet flavor of the beet strengthens the heart, sedates the spirit, improves circulation, purifies the blood, liver, moistens the intestines and promotes menstruation.  Beets are notorious for their detoxifying components and should be added to any individual’s diet who may suffer from “deficient blood” disorders.
 

Caution:  The greens contain abundant oxalic acid, and if eaten excessively, inhibit calcium metabolism.

Baked/Roasted Beet Recipe:
 

This is a convenient way to prepare beets when the stove-top is crowded.

Ingredients:
 

• 1 pound of beets, stems trimmed to 1 inch
• ½ cup of water
• 2 tablespoons olive, or walnut oil
• 1 tablespoon minced parsley, chives, or dill
• Fresh lemon or lime juice to taste

What to do:
 

• Preheat the oven to 350°F
• Place the beets in an 8-inch square baking pan or a round oven-proof dish
• Add water. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and bake until the beets are easily pierced with a thin skewer or knife tip, about 45 minutes for small beets, 1 hour for medium, and 1¼ hours for large beets
• Slip off the skins, and leave the beets whole or slice into round or wedges. Season with salt and black pepper, or paprika to taste. Toss with butter or oil, minced parsley, and lemon juice
   
  References: Pitchford, Paul (2002). Healing With Whole Foods. Berkeley, California: North Atlantic Books. 

Barley With Vegetables
 

Barley’s (also called groats) use is dated back to the stone age and is used in soups, stews, and various bread products.  Whole barley, sometimes called “sproutable,” is mildly laxative and contains far more nutrition then the commonly used “pearl” variety, including more fiber, twice the calcium, three times the iron, and 25% more protein.  Barley is also a prime ingredient in the making of one variety of the popular Japanese condiment called miso.
 

Healing properties:

Cooling thermal nature, sweet and salty flavor; strengthens the spleen and pancreas, regulates the stomach and fortifies the intestines, builds the blood and yin fluids and moistens dryness.