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What’s In Brown Sugar?

7/31/2020

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It’s not uncommon for recipes to call for brown sugar instead of regular white sugar, but have you ever wondered where brown sugar comes from?

• Brown sugar is simply white sugar with molasses added.
• This gives brown sugar its distinctive taste and color.
• There are dark brown and light brown varieties.
• Dark brown sugar contains 6.5% molasses and light brown sugar contains 3.4% molasses.
• Brown sugar tends to be softer and more moist than white sugar. This is because each crystal is covered by a thin layer of the molasses.
• If you don’t keep brown sugar in an airtight container, it will harden due to the moisture escaping.
• It’s possible to bring the moisture back to hardened brown sugar by adding a piece of bread to the container. The molasses will steal the moisture from the bread and become soft again.
• If your recipe doesn’t specify whether to use dark or light brown sugar, consider how much molasses/caramel flavor you want to come through in what you’re making. Light brown sugar has a lighter and more subtle flavor while dark is more rich.


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Vitamin D Sources for Vegetarians

7/29/2020

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Vitamin D is crucial for healthy bones and teeth as well as proper heart, immune system, and brain function. Unfortunately, there are very few foods that contain it and most of them are animal products so it can be hard for vegetarians to get this vitamin through diet alone. It’s not impossible though and here are some options:

• Egg Yolks
The amount of vitamin D in egg yolks greatly depends on the quality of life of the chickens that laid them. If they’re allowed to roam outside, their eggs can have up to 4 times the amount of vitamin D found in eggs from chickens that are kept indoors.

• Cheese
You can find small amounts of vitamin D in cheese, but the amount varies by type. Cheddar, Monterey, and Fontina contain the highest amount while soft cheeses like cottage and ricotta contain 0%.

• Mushrooms
Mushrooms have the distinction of being the only edible plant source of vitamin D. It’s been found that if they’re exposed to UV light during their growth, mushrooms can be as effective at raising your vitamin D levels as supplement pills. Check the packaging to see if the mushrooms you’re going to buy have these increased vitamin D levels.

• Fortified Foods
There are lots of options of foods that have vitamin D added to them including oatmeal, some dry cereals, milk, yogurt, and plant-based milks. 



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Foods For Joint Health

7/25/2020

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Joint pain makes everything more difficult and can keep you from enjoying your favorite activities. There are some foods that can help reduce this pain though. By providing antioxidants, polyphenols, and Omegas, these foods can help reduce inflammation and increase your mobility:

• Fatty fish - salmon, tuna, sardines, trout
• Nuts and Seeds - almonds, walnuts, flax seeds, chia seeds
• Fruits - apples, blueberries, tomatoes, pineapple
• Cruciferous Vegetables - kale, Brussels sprouts, arugula, broccoli, cauliflower
• Bone Broth
• Root Vegetables - garlic, onion, turmeric, ginger
• Olive Oil
• Lentils and Beans - black beans, chickpeas, lentils, pinto beans, soybeans


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Health Benefits of Cherries

7/22/2020

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Cherries are a Summer favorite and can be enjoyed a variety of ways - baked in a pie, cut up and added to yogurt, or just eaten as they are. While they’re delicious and versatile, they also provide a wide variety of health benefits:

• Fiber
One cup of cherries yields 13% of your daily value (DV) of fiber to help keep you regular and increase healthy gut bacteria.

• Vitamin C
18% of your DV of vitamin C can be found in one cup of cherries. It’s useful for boosting your immune system and keeping your skin healthy.

• Potassium
You’ll find 10% of your daily potassium needs in the same one cup serving. This will help support proper nerve function, muscle contraction, blood pressure regulation, and overall heart health.

• Antioxidants and Anti-Inflammatory
There are plant compounds in cherries that give them their red color but also provide you with benefits like protection against cell damage from free radicals as well as reducing inflammation in the body that can lead to chronic issues.

• Melatonin
There aren’t many foods that contain melatonin, but cherries are one of them. This can help keep your sleep patterns regular and lead to a more refreshed self in the morning.

• Exercise
Recovery
The multiple antioxidants and polyphenols in cherries have been shown to help speed up recovery from endurance and strength workouts so you can get back to the next session faster.

• Various
Vitamins & Minerals
Vitamins A, B6, and K, as well as iron, magnesium, copper, and manganese can also be found in cherries.


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Why Use Olive Oil?

7/18/2020

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There’s no shortage of options of oils to use in the kitchen, but if you’re looking at overall health benefits, one stands above the rest. Here are some reasons to reach for olive oil:

- Antioxidants & Vitamin E
Olive oil is a great source of antioxidants and Vitamin E, which provide numerous health benefits by fighting off oxidative stress, repairing damage done by free radicals, and reducing the likelihood of developing chronic diseases.

- Moderately High Smoke Point
The smoke point of an oil is the temperature at which the fat molecules start to break apart and produce visible smoke. This breakdown creates harmful compounds, but olive oil has a high smoke point of about 400°F, which makes it a good choice for most cooking methods, even pan frying.

- Plant-based Source of Omegas
Olive oil is a good source of Omega-3 and 6 fatty acids, which can help reduce inflammation in your body and reduce cholesterol. Additionally, plant-based fats like olive oil have been found to be healthier than animal fats.

- Antibacterial Properties
It’s been found that olive oil has the ability to kill harmful bacteria that can live in your stomach and cause ulcers.

- Healthy Fats
The main type of fat found in olive oil is monounsaturated fat, which is considered a healthy dietary fat. It’s been shown to lower your risk of heart disease and help improve overall cholesterol levels.
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Five Ways to Get More Fruit in Your Diet

7/15/2020

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Fruit offers a variety of health benefits and is part of a healthy diet. If you’re having trouble working it into your daily meals, here are some ideas that can help make sure you’re getting some servings of fruit in.

1. Make your drinks fancy.
Adding fruit to water or club soda can be a delicious and refreshing way to switch things up. Raspberries, pineapple rings, and honeydew are good choices or consider cubing and freezing watermelon to use as ice cubes.

2. Add to salads.
You can add even more flavor to a salad by including fruit. Sliced apples, berries, and clementines compliment salad greens very well.

3. Make smoothies.
Fruit smoothies are great because they retain the fiber that comes from whole fruit. You can easily make a delicious smoothie with little more than a banana, some strawberries, and some milk. Try different combinations of fruits and consider adding Greek yogurt or peanut butter too. Just remember to watch the calories!

4. Grill your fruit.
We’ve been talking about grilling vegetables lately, but fruit should also be in the conversation. Pineapple is a great choice and if you’ve never grilled peaches, you’re missing out!

5. Make fruit salsa.
Adding some sweetness to salsa can take the flavor to the next level. Consider making your own salsa with Summer produce and try adding fruits like mango, pineapple, and apples for some sweet heat.

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Five Tips for Grilling Vegetables

7/11/2020

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Earlier this week we went through some of the best vegetables you can throw on the grill. Now let’s take a look at some tips that will help you get them to grilled, smoky perfection.

1. Oil everything you’re going to grill.
This will keep things from sticking to the grill and also drying out. It makes seasonings stick better too.

2. Slice everything to the same thickness for each type of vegetable.
This will ensure all pieces of the same vegetable are done at the same time and you aren’t juggling more than you need to.

3. Pair similar items together when making kebabs.
Keep softer vegetables like tomatoes and mushrooms together and harder vegetables like onions and peppers on the same skewers to make it easier to manage everything on the grill for doneness.

4. Use foil to make things even easier.
Placing your veggies in foil will allow you to essentially steam them and require less attention when on the grill. You won’t get grill marks or as much smoky flavor, but it’ll still be delicious and easy to clean up.

5. Maximize surface area to maximize grilled flavor.
Keep your cuts big enough to avoid falling through the grates of the grill and remember that with more of the vegetable touching the grill, it’ll pick up more of that smoky caramelized flavor you’re after.

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Six Great Grillable Veggies

7/8/2020

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Next time you fire up the grill, consider throwing on some green stuff to go along with your meat. Grilling vegetables gives them a nice caramelized, smoky flavor and can help you round out your meal a little more.

1. Corn
You can grill corn with the husks on if you want, but remove as many of the silks as you can. With or without husks, it only takes about 10 minutes to grill corn.

2. Portabella Mushroom Caps
Grill these whole and start with the gill side down first, then flip and finish with the cap side down to retain their moisture.

3. Zucchini
This works with round slices or lengthwise cuts. Just be sure to keep your slices about ½” thick so they don’t fall apart on the grill.

4. Asparagus
One of the best ways to enjoy asparagus, just make sure to keep an eye on them so they don’t fall through the grates.

5. Onions
Grilling onions turns down their heat and unlocks their sweetness. They’ll be tender but still crisp and are delicious just on their own.

6. Peppers
Bell, poblano, jalapeno, or shishito peppers are all winners on the grill. Just slice and seed them first.
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Salad Recipes

7/8/2020

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Download here.  Pages 1 and 2
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Five Keto-Friendly Fruits

7/4/2020

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The ketogenic diet calls for foods high in fat and very low in carbs. This means most fruits are off the table as they tend to be high in carbs. There are some exceptions though!

1. Raspberries

One of the lowest-carb fruits at 3g net carbs for a half cup serving, raspberries also contain vitamins C and K and antioxidants.

2. Strawberries

You can have 8 medium-sized strawberries for 6g net carbs. They also provide vitamin C, manganese, folate, and antioxidants.

3. Cherries

Cherries are packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds and yield 8g net carbs for a half cup serving.

4. Watermelon

Perfect for Summer and coming in at 11g net carbs for 1 cup, watermelon can help with hydration and also provide vitamin C, potassium, copper, and lycopene.

5. Cantaloupe

Another Summer favorite, cantaloupe also has 11g net carbs for a 1 cup serving. You’ll also get potassium, folate, and vitamin K.
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    Amanda is a mother of three (10, 7, and 5) and has been married for 14 years.   My weight loss journey started July 17, 2008, one day after my daughter's first birthday.  Tipping the scales at 235 pounds at 5'3, being an over weight, over tired, out of shape role model no longer appealed to me and I knew it was time for a change.   Three pregnancies later, I had lost a total of 105 pounds.  I had run 2 marathons and dozens of half marathons.  Something was missing.  I was thin, but I wasn't fit.  I wasn't healthy.  I could feel it in my insides.  I was 136 pounds and a size 8.  Something didn't add up.   I got my certification in personal training, nutrition, weight management, and dove into supplementation and whole foods.  90 days later, I gained 10 pounds and lost two pants sizes (8 to a 4). 
     
    Continuing on this path, all of my clients wanted to know how I was doing it.  I always dreamed of creating a business that truly added value to people and improved their health.  My husband, Grant, and I decided it was time to take that leap.

    December 9, 2016, Simply Prepped Meals was born.  Based around the mission of providing whole food based nutrition to people's doorsteps, we set out to create a new idea that fast food didn't have to be expensive or bad for you.   Six months later, we built our permanent location in Cynthiana, IN.  Then, January 2, 2018, we entered into a partnership with the YMCA of Southern Indiana to continue spreading the word of meal prep and eating with purpose. 

    Amanda coaches individually as well as continues to drive their business.  Any questions about personal coaching can be directed to her at amanda@simplypreppedmeals.com

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