THANK YOU to those who participated in my favorite books give-away!

AND THE WINNERS ARE

The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth.....Victoria Sandoval

Cracking the Metabolic Code.....Heather Chupp

Pssst.....You two, check your e-mail!

It's the week of love. While many claim Valentine's Day is a "Hallmark holiday", a day that exists solely for commercial purpose, I am going to re-claim it as a holiday to spread the love. That is my love of all things healthy. I have a few fun give-aways planned this week, so be sure to check back regularly for a chance to win a few of my favorite healthy things.

Today I want to spread my love of books. I love to read and if I didn't feel like a sloth for sitting so long or get hungry, I would read all day. While I enjoy a good fiction book on occasion, I am usually reading non-fiction. Anything that has to do with healthy living captivates me, whether it's a cookbook or a book on GMOs. While I have several favorite books, there are two at the top of my list, The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth and Cracking the Metabolic Code. I recommend these two books to anyone who not only wants to eat healthy but be healthy as well.

THE 150 HEALTHIEST FOODS ON EARTH
Author: Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S.

When it comes to books of the food persuasion, I'm a sucker for glossy pages and colorful pictures. The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth has both. In addition it is loaded with all you need to know, to be convinced, the foods we eat, can either harm us or heal us. In this book, Dr. Bowden not only shares the top 150, he also consults with nutrition industry experts for their top favorite healthy foods. While all the foods in the book are considered the healthiest, there are some that get star status, those foods that could be considered "super" foods, like Brussels sprouts, coconut, butter, eggs, tea, cinnamon and more. Finally, Dr. Bowden tackles the issues of food quality by discussing issues like pasteurization, sustainable farming and organic practices. There are shelves of diet books on the market that tell us what not to eat, you probably have many of them on your own bookshelf. Not this book. This book tells you exactly what to eat to experience health and vitality. 

CRACKING THE METABOLIC CODE
Author: James B. LaValle, R.Ph., C.C.N., N.D.

I was introduced to Jim LaValle when he partnered up with Life Time Fitness as an educator and expert in metabolic medicine. It would be impossible for me to say how much this man has impacted my health. He was the cornerstone in rebuilding my health and educating me on adrenal fatigue and endocrine function. I have been a patient of Jim's for three years and what a blessing it has been to be able to benefit from his expertise and knowledge first hand. You too can benefit by checking out Cracking the Metabolic Code. This book is for anyone who wants to be healthy and optimize their health by understanding how the body functions. The book explains the interrelationship of everything you do in life and how it affects your health by breaking it down into nine key steps. Once you've read through the nine, you take a series of questionnaires that help you "crack" your own metabolic code. While I wholeheartedly believe everyone can benefit from reading this book, if you suspect or know you have adrenal, thyroid or other metabolic issues, this is an absolute MUST READ! 

To all of you who participated in my very first fun little give-away, THANK YOU! I appreciate your readership and loved, loved, loved reading all the things you are thankful for. If you haven't checked the comments on the original post, go back and read through them. Being thankful is #3 on my 10 Things list, it is such an important part of having a healthy mind and spirit. If you don't already, take a few minutes each day to write down and reflect on what you are thankful for.

My gym membership. I work out at one of the most beautiful fitness clubs in the states with an endless selection of free weights, machines and cardio equipment. I realize having a gym membership is a luxury that many can't afford. The gym is my sanctuary of sorts, any time I am feeling down in spirit, a good workout always lifts me up. If I am feeling a little lonely, there is always someone at the gym that will chat with me. Lifting weights is what I enjoy doing most at the gym and nothing compares to the feeling of pushing your body and strength to the limit. Without the gym, I would never have met the love of my life, my husband, Tom.

I can't tell you the last time I ate noodles or pasta of any shape or form. I've been gluten-free for at least three years, which means pasta is out. I know there are gluten-free pastas on the market, but they don't meet my healthy eating beliefs. Most of the gluten-free pasta alternatives have a higher glycemic impact than regular pasta noodles. In addition to avoiding gluten, I also believe in a reduced carbohydrate lifestyle for health and weight management. Over the past eleven years, my carbohydrate intake has varied from very low (<20g/day) to moderately low (<100g/day). I pick and choose my carbohydrates wisely, the majority of them coming from vegetables, the occasional fruit and naturally occurring carbohydrates found in nuts and seeds. So it would be a miracle, as in a highly improbably event, that you would ever find me eating a plate of noodles. 

Well, I am here to tell you, that miracles do happen. That gorgeous plate of food was my brunch. An amazing stir-fry made with green & red pepper, celery, onion, mushroom, garlic, chicken, a homeamde stir-fry sauce, a sprinkle of chopped cashews, a few dribbles of Sriracha sauce and noodles. MIRACLE NOODLES. Seriously, that's what they are called, Miracle Noodles.

As you can see from the package, these noodles come with no added guilt, are free of soy and gluten and have zero calories. So what the heck are these thing made from? Konnayaku also known as Kojnac, is a Japanese plant, a tuber of sorts, grown to make konjac flour and jelly. It has very little taste and is valued for it's texture not it's flavor. Konnayaku, or Kojnac made into noodle form is called shirataki also called devil's tongue noodles. 

Traditional shirataki noodles have zero net carbohydrates as they are basically just water and soluble fiber. Soluble fiber slows digestion as well as the release of carbohydrates into your bloodstream. This helps to maintain healthy blood sugar levels as well as prolonging the feeling of fullness. The fiber also binds with bile acids secreted by the gall bladder, which in turn your body excretes instead of recycles to make cholesterol.

There are two types of shirataki noodles, those made from konjac and those made from tofu. I am seeing the Miracle Noodle brand pop up locally at both our food co-op and at Whole Foods. I recently saw another konjac noodle brand at our Cub Foods, which is a local grocer here in Minnesota. I actually purchased a couple bags online as I was placing an order for stevia, and I am now kicking myself for not ordering more. While the noodles themselves didn't actually lend any taste or flavor to my stir-fry, they sure added some texture and enjoyment.

Chicken Stir-Fry with Miracle Noodles
Recipe by Healthy Living How To

Printable Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 1 bag Miracle Noodle Shirataki Pasta Angel Hair
  
• 1/3 c. Chopped Celery, Mushroom, Onion, Red Pepper, Green Pepper
  
• 1 Clove Garlic, Crushed
  
• 12 oz. Chicken Breast, Diced
  
• 2 Tbsp. Coconut Oil
  
• 1/4 c. Cashews
• Celtic Sea Salt & Coarse Ground Black Pepper

Stir-Fry Sauce

• 2 Tbsp. Spectrum Naturals Unrefined Toasted Sesame Oil
  
• 2 Tbsp. Coconut Secret Raw Coconut Aminos or Gluten-Free Soy Sauce
  
• 2 Tbsp. Sunflower Seed Butter, Almond Butter or Peanut Butter
  
• 2 Tbsp. Organicville Sriracha Sauce
  

Directions

1. Prepare the noodles by draining the water, rinse with cool water for 10-15 seconds, then blanch in boiling water for 1 minute. Place on a few paper towels to drain and dry. Set aside.

2. Prepare stir-fry sauce by whisking together sesame oil, coconut aminos, seed/nut butter and Sriracha sauce, set aside.

3. In skillet or stir-fry pan, heat 1 Tbsp. coconut oil and cook diced chicken on medium-high heat. Season with Celtic sea salt and coarse ground black pepper. Remove chicken from pan.

4. Add remaining coconut oil to pan, then add veggies, cook over medium-high heat until softened.

5. Return chicken to pan along with noodles, cover with sauce and mix thoroughly. Add crushed garlic and mix again.

6. Using tongs, separate noodles between two plates, top with chicken and veggies, garnish with cashews and a few squirts of Sriracha if you like it extra spicy.