So I'm trying to eat better, and just be as healthy as one can be (at least most of the time). I am a sucker for chocolate and always will be. That and nachos grande with extra salsa and guacamole. But indulgences aside, I'm trying to eat healthier foods. Foods that don't have empty calories and "bad" fat in them. Especially now during the time of year where your winter weight eyes your summer clothes and you want to run (on the treadmill!).
So I'm posting the following article that I found interesting and helpful. Maybe you will too.
Wonder FoodsHere's why these three foods are practically a staple among health - conscious celebs and foodies - plus how to pronounce them, so you can casually order an açaà smoothie with all the cool of George Clooney.
Açaà berries (ah-sigh-EE or ah-SIGH-ee) Brazilian surfers eat theirs with granola, and we know what their bodies look like! Packed with twice the disease-fighting antioxidants of blueberries, açaà has already made Oprah's list of Top 10 Superfoods and The Washington Post called the blackberry-flavored fruit the "new pomegranate." But you may find it easier to sip yours: Celestial Seasonings sells an açaÃ-green tea blend, and açaà martinis are on chic bar menus everywhere.
* DIY açaà fruit soda: Just mix chilled sparkling mineral water with a few ounces of açaà juice, available at health-food stores. Sip. Look cool. Feel healthy.
Quinoa (KEEN-wah) Dry quinoa looks a bit like sesame seeds but when cooked it becomes fluffy with a hint of crunch, making it an excellent substitution for rice, cous cous, and pasta. Quinoa's major claim to food fame, however, is what RealAge researchers call its "nutritional profile." A cup of quinoa has more protein than a quarter-pound hamburger and more calcium than a quart of milk. Yowza. It's also loaded with iron, magnesium, and a bevy of other minerals and B vitamins. No wonder the Incas named it "the mother grain." Try it in this warm winter salad from our friends at Eating Well.
* Quinoa and Black Beans
Stir in your favorite jarred salsa for extra zing.
This is also good the next day for lunch.
Makes 2 servings, about 1/2 cup each
1 teaspoon canola oil
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped red onion
1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed
2 tablespoons broth (or water)
1/2 cup hot quinoa (cook according to package directions)
Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add bell pepper and onion and cook until almost tender. Add beans and broth (or water) to the pan. Cook until heated through. Stir in quinoa.
Per serving: 162 calories; 4 g fat (0 g sat); 0 mg cholesterol; 27 g carbohydrate; 6 g protein; 4 g fiber; 60 mg sodium; 224 mg potassium.
Matcha (MAH-cha) When you drink a cuppa matcha (also spelled maccha), you're getting green tea's powerful antioxidants to the max, because you're actually consuming the whole green tea leaf in powdered form. In Japan, slightly bitter matcha is traditionally served syrupy thick. But in the US, you'll find matcha stirred into lattes, sprinkled on ice cream, and used to bolster energy drinks and turn smoothies into pick-me-ups (it's said to boost alertness). Just be respectful of matcha if you're caffeine sensitive: Ounce for ounce, it has almost as much caffeine as coffee.
* To rev up a hot homemade latte, whisk in 1/2 teaspoon of the powder.
* For a quick summer cooler, blend 1 1/2 teaspoon with a cup of milk and some ice cubes.
So a couple weeks ago I took Milo and He-Who-Had-Yet-To-Be Named to the vet for their rabies shots and Milo's pre-neuter exam (Milo was starting to get "those feelings" which resulted in a confused kitten and an offended and combative Darla). As the receptionist took out Milo's file she asked what "Grey Guy's" name was so she could start one for him. With much chagrin I told her we hadn't found one that suited him yet. She cast a pitiful glance at the little guy as if to say, "poor thing, they didn't even give you a name." I felt bad so I asked her if she knew any good names for a grey male cat, but she just shook her head. 
