Testimony of the Day
“I started following Maria’s meal plans about 2 months ago, but I have been on low carb since January and I felt deprivation because I have a sweet tooth. Maria saved me and I don’t get my seasonal allergies like before. I would take Zyrtex, Flonase, Allegra, and I was still miserable and I would also get sinus infections and I had to visit the dr. for antibiotics. I notice I have not gotten my allergies. I may sneeze a little once in a while, but I’m not miserable like before. I know it has to do with my new way of eating, plus I’ve lost 27 pounds. -Rachel”
Finding Bad Fats!
When choosing a salsa, make sure to check the ingredients. First off is there unneeded sugar added? Quality tomatoes don’t need added sugar, but most brands pick green tomatoes to get them to the factory; which causes bland salsa and therefore they add sugar and undesirable ingredients. Second, make sure there are no hydrogenated oils (trans-fat). I have even seen it in refrigerated salsa. Partially hydrogenated oils don’t just damage your cells, causing allergies, arthritis and autoimmune diseases, but they also make you fat!
Essential fatty acids are called ‘essential’ because your body NEEDS them and you can only get them through food. Your brain and body are very smart, even though your stomach may feel full, your brain never tells you to stop eating, because it still needs the essential fatty acids to sustain life. You will never be full until you do. Partially hydrogenated oils make you gain weight because they interfere with the body’s ability to ingest and utilize the healthy fats that you want to fill your cells with.
Imagine this, your cells are like neat parking lots. When you eat omega 3 fats, they are like little Smart Cars that park nice and neat into the parking spots that feed our body by decreasing inflammation (everything from joint pain to asthma to heart disease). BUT when we eat trans fats they are like huge SUVs that don’t fit into these parking spots, but they force their way in any way…damaging the cars around them so they can’t run anymore (or help our body) AND they cause our fat cells to grow! If you eat even more trans-fats, those SUVs get mad because they can’t find a parking spot, so they just drive around furiously in your body and bounce into all the cells causing free-radicals. To read more on how to decrease free-radicals, go to Supplement chapter in Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism.
Over time, more and more SUVs are filling the parking spots which leaves no room for the Smart Cars. So new parking lots (fat cells) have to be built to make room for them. So now our body gets bigger, we have more inflammation and more health problems like asthma, arthritis, heart disease…not a good outcome!
“HEALTHIFIED” CROCKPOT CHICKEN
2 lbs uncooked frozen chicken breast (0.9 kg)
11/2 cups diced tomatoes (375 mL)
16 oz salsa (500 g)
8 oz cream cheese (250 g)
Put frozen chicken breasts in the crockpot, cover with tomatoes and salsa. Cook on high 4-5 hours or until chicken is cooked. Place block of cream cheese on top. Cook for an additional 30 minutes. Stir to incorporate cream cheese into the sauce. The stirring will cause the chicken to shred. Serve on top of cauliflower rice (or on my “healthified” bread).
NOTE: This has been a favorite recipe of my clients and their families.
NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving):
Traditional Dish with White Rice = 490 calories, 40g protein, 17.6g fat, 42g carbs, 3.3g fiber (38.7 effective carbs)
“Healthified” Dish = 349 calories 37.3g protein 17.4g fat, 8g carbs, 2.8g fiber (5.2 effective carbs)
Are you looking for a unique gift? How about a slow cooker cookbook and my favorite slow cooker? What busy mom or dad wouldn’t love to make fast and healthy meals for their family?The Slow cooker is on sale now! Click HERE to find it.
Click HERE to find the cookbook.
Thank you all for your love and support!
I was wondering if I could use homemade salsa completely organic straight from my garden. I can lots of it over the summer.
That should work. 🙂
Could you go without the tomatoes? Or are they needed to complete this recipe?
I think you could make it without them. 🙂
Does the chicken need to be frozen to start? Or can I use fresh chicken breasts?
Fresh will work. 🙂
I have a dairy sensitivity, can I sub anything for the cream cheese?
You can make your own like this. 🙂
http://www.thespunkycoconut.com/2013/05/5-minute-coconut-cream-cheese-paleo-dairy-free/
Maria, what do you say about seasonal allergies (running nose and itchy eyes) if i’m eating right for almost a year. What could be the problem? I’m not eating dairy and I use supplements (almost all are types that you recommend) like magnesium, zinc (in trace mineral drops), c-vitamin, spirulina, Green Pastures – BLUE ICE™ Royal Butter Oil / Fermented Cod Liver Oil Blend. Just few weak ago I started taking Bio-Kult probiotics. Beside this seasonal allergies I feel great and I lost those few pounds that where bugging me – that is why I’m feeling a little bit lost when it comes to dealing with allergies. Any word of advice would help!:-)
I would add d-hist: http://astore.amazon.com/marisnutran05-20/detail/B0006ON6D8