Moroccan Stewed Chicken

This is a great recipe I found a year ago in a Men's Health magazine. I've made it about 4 times now, and it always makes for a great healthy meal!

1 can Organic Diced Tomatoes
2 Organic Chicken Thighs (no skin)
1 Organic Zucchini (med - Lg)
1 can Organic Garbanzo Beans (chickpeas)
1 cup Organic Chicken Broth (or water)
1 Tbsp Organic Food Grade Coconut Oil
1 tsp Organic Cumin
1/2 tsp Organic Cayenne Pepper
1/2 tsp Organic Cinnamon
Sea Salt and Cracked Pepper to taste

Heat oil in large iron skillet over med-high heat. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper, place them in pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until browned thoroughly. Add the zucchini and continue cooking, stirring occasionally. When zucchini pieces have browned lightly, add the garbanzo beans, tomatoes, chicken stock, cayenne pepper, cumin, and cinnamon. Turn the heat to low and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the chicken is tender & cooked through.

Click here for any soy and dairy replacements

Bring on the Summer Time Snacks!

Ok it's not quite summer yet, heck spring's barely 1 week old, but those delicious summer time snacks are already on our minds. There is nothing wrong with indulging in a tasty treat once in a while, but remember it doesn't have to be unhealthy to be a tasty treat. There are many healthy alternatives to the all too common unhealthy treats most of us turn to.

Fresh fruit for instance is a very refreshing summertime treat that is both very tasty and healthy. But when opting for the many "sinful" pleasures that so often tickle our fancy, be smart and remember moderation is key.

Probably one of the most popular summertime treats is ice cream, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy a little vanilla once in a while. Even with a soy and dairy allergy I am able to surrender to the urge once in a while thanks to La Loo's Black Mission Fig Goat's milk ice cream. It is so good that I don't miss regular ice cream one bit. My wife even agrees that it's very tasty, but at about $7 a pint you have to be able to enjoy this treat in moderation, as I do.

So indulge once in a while, but be smart about it!

Keep a Food Diary

Whether you’re dieting trying to lose weight or someone like myself who lives with food allergies, it's important to keep a food diary. Some food allergies are more cut-and-dry than others, and for me my dairy allergy falls under the more "cut-and-dry" of the two, but my soy allergy isn't so simple. Even with a diet consisting of mainly unprocessed whole grains, fresh fruit and vegetables, and most of the meals home made as is the case with me, we still depend on some prepackaged products; the oat milk I use, bread (if I'm not up to making it), a few choice canned products, and even supplements.

It never fails that every that every once in a while just when I think I'm in the clear I may experience a reaction (usually the itchy swollen knuckles), and have to figure out what caused it. This is where the food diary comes in handy. If you record the food and the date of when you incorporated this new product into your diet, you can always refer back to that if a reaction occurs; it's also good to record how long the reaction lasted and the severity of the reaction. These entries should include dining out as well as eating at home. If you note what you ate a particular restaurant and you experience a reaction, then you would know not to order that dish again; and the same goes for safe meals. It's always good to know a couple of dishes at a restaurant you like to frequent that you can enjoy.

Lets face it even if you are a very health conscious person like me and enjoy cooking healthy meals, it's always fun to go out with friends or family once in a while and enjoy a meal without that you didn't have to slave over.

Get Some Sun

With the warmer weather coming it's important we take some time out of our busy days and enjoy it. A 15 minute lunchtime walk will not only clear your head and help relieve some of the daily stress we all contend with, but it is a good source of Vitamin D.

Vitamin D is very important to a healthy immune system and studies show that Americans get far too little of it on a daily basis, especially during the colder months. Supplement form is always a good option (always see your health care practitioner first), but the sun is a great source...and it's free! We have all been so scared into believing that the sun will kill us that we either spend very little time in it, or when we do we're all covered up with cloths or sun screen.

I'm not a doctor and don't claim to be, but based on what I've read 15 of sun a day can do a body good.