Raw and cooked vegetables, all kinds

Vegetables are basic; recommended by endless experts and official studies.  Pertaining to this entire list though, if you are allergic to something, or it disagrees with you or your doctor tells you to eliminate it, then that part of this list is not for you.  Also note, organic and non-GMO is preferred.

Sometimes I put the cooked vegetables on top of the salad with extra virgin olive oil and varied seasonings.  Or avocado with the salad.  Especially yummy is butter lettuce sold living with the roots still attached.

Very often I use organic frozen vegetables.  They are easy to keep on hand and so easy to prepare.  You can add olive or coconut oil or ghee after cooking.  Kept frozen they don’t go bad as soon as fresh ones.  Frozen vegetables likely have more nutrients because of this.  If you think ‘simple’ then you can experience satisfaction without fuss.  The plain frozen veggies are cheaper and healthier than the fancy frozen dishes.  I don’t live near town to go buy fresh daily.  Sure you might find fresh vegetables better than frozen, but the point is to not have any excuses -- don’t skip vegetables.

In addition to salad, keep handy stalks or slices of plain celery, carrots and cucumber.  And don’t forget jicama, sprinkled with lemon or lime, in the summer!  They are more likely to be used if prepared and available.  You can use some dip but I more often eat them straight.  Simple.

Fruits, all kinds

This refers to basic fresh fruit, organic, in moderation.  Not processed, blended, etc.  It is a matter of not having too much sugar even if it is natural sugar.  There is too much diabetes and pre-diabetes going around. For instance, one apple might be fine but not apple juice.  One date is fine but not many dates mashed into some treat.  A food with healthy nutrients can be devastating in excess.  Try moderation. 


Also, it is best not to mix most fruit with most other food.  Especially melon:  about melons the old saying is, ‘eat it alone or leave it alone.’

Fresh fruit by itself makes a nice snack.  Grapefruit is a winter favorite.  Berries, especially fresh in the springtime, are delicious.  Maybe it is true that an apple a day keeps the doctor away.  But not if one is still eating excessive unhealthy food also.


Dried fruit is handy if not in excess:  mango, figs, papaya; some of them are super foods:  mulberries, golden berries, jujube.  Some people prefer to have the dried fruit soaked.

Nuts, but only raw

And preferably, but not necessarily, soaked.  Also a great snack.
The raw nuts have the healthy oils that we need and other nutrients.  Walnuts for the brain, pumpkin seeds for men, brazil nuts against colds, pine nuts against allergies, and almonds against disease.


Sorry, roasted nuts become unhealthy.

 

Beans, all kinds

Sure, you can find recipes and cook, but simple, easy and quick is canned beans.  Sure, canned beans and other canned and packaged foods may not be as nutritious as fresh, home-made ones, but organic beans with healthy ingredients are way better than junk food, much healthier.  They are easily kept on hand, helping you to stay away from ill effects of foods you know you should not eat.


Currently I like:
Trader Joe’s Refried Beans, organic
and a variety of: organic Simple Truth canned beans.
These two companies are often reasonably priced.
Also, newer is:
Brami Lupini Beans, the lightly pickled Roman super food.

Grains, whole, not over processed, not in excess

I do not eat a lot of grains.  It can depend on whether you are doing heavy labor or sports.  I need to be gluten free. And I have seen research that gluten is not really good for anyone, even if one is not intolerant or allergic to it.  There are many gluten-free grains such as rice, quinoa, buckwheat, teff, sorghum, etc.  Grains are best soaked before cooking.  My favorite is quinoa that comes already soaked, sprouted and then dried for you to cook.

Just like with too much quantity of simple grains, gluten-free noodles, such as rice noodles, are usually not good for the glycemic index, and are easily overeaten.  I have found two that are far better than most:
Chung Jung One Sweet Potato Glass Noodle, distributed by Daesang America,

and,
Shirataki, made of konjac root flour (not if other flours added).  This is an ancient remedy for the intestines, but read the cooking directions carefully. 

Oats are available specifying gluten free.  Dedicated gluten free facilities are used.  The big deal is for the oats not to be contaminated with dust from other, gluten containing grains.  I like: organic Bob’s Red Mill Old Fashioned Rolled Oats.  You may have heard about the famous overnight oats for breakfast.  They are soaked with water instead of cooking.  The rolled oats are always heated some during processing so this is not raw oats.  But the typical overcooking of oats changes the benefits, becoming quite detrimental for many people.
Also, there is another type of gluten in oats, even though the oats are labeled gluten-free, that some people are allergic to.  But many of us are not allergic to that type of gluten in oats.

Gluten-free breads are available, most often purchased frozen.  Different brands have different textures and flavors.  Some are way better toasted.  My current favorite is: Happy Campers. 
You can have a sandwich or toast and still be gluten-free.  I purposely stay away from ones with egg ingredients since I am vegetarian. Organic peanut butter and jam are available without inferior additives.  Lately the only jam I use is:
Eden Organic Tart Cherry Butter, healthy in moderation.

There are whole grain crackers that are okay in moderation if there is no junk food ingredients added.  I like:
Edward and Sons Rice Crackers. 

Of course one could make some from scratch but I am talking simple easy here.
I am often satisfied with a few bland crackers (or with healthy toppings added), whereas if I cook a pot of rice it’s too easy to overeat.  These routines would vary depending upon whether preparing food for a family or living alone.

It is better to eat food that is positively healthy, not just stuff yourself.  Another saying is, ‘you are what you eat.’  We need to be responsible for our own eating habits to help our health.  If we stock the healthy food and have it around to eat regularly, we can adapt and not have cravings for unhealthy food.  Organic gluten-free food has become more popular and conveniently available.  More and more new companies are competing with so many new products.  Sure you can make your own if you are up to it, but that is not panning out for so many of us.


Favorite Foods Mentioned Above

Trader Joe’s Refried Beans, organic

·       A variety of organic Simple Truth canned beans

·       Brami Lupini Beans, the lightly pickles Roman super food

·       Chung Jung One Sweet Potato Glass Noodle, distributed by Daesang America

·       Shirataki, made of konjac root flour

·       Bob’s Red Mill Old Fashioned Rolled Oats

·       Edward and Sons Rice Crackers

·       Happy Campers breads

·       Eden Organic Tart Cherry Butter


For over 20 more favorite products, sign in for free at simbi.com, then go to My Favorite Foods.  Simple and easy.

Simbi
You can begin to learn Reflexology simple and easy by my Simbi deal offer for 25 simbi. This includes my responding with answers to your questions...
Be Stress-Free with Reflexology
Too Busy, Too Worried, Too Hurried? Some stress can be good to spur you on to greatness. However, too much stress is a concern as we hear that 80% o...
Leave a comment

Please login or register to review