Healthy things I have added to my diet...

So, along with knowing the bad, you have to know the good. I have found a great juice/smoothie bar on Lake Austin Blvd. It feels like LA when you go in there.. it is called The Daily Juice. My favorite smoothie drink is called the Hippie Chick. It tastes like banana bread. It has bananas, coconut water, almond butter,hemp seeds, agave nectar, vanilla and yerba mate in it. It is great after workout nutrition.


So, I know a lot of those ingredients sound very foreign. they did to me, too. But, I have started researching and using some of these "super foods" to enhance my nutrition. For instance hemp seeds (which are in the Hippie Chick smoothie)-have 80% essential fatty acids, amino acids as well as complete and highly digestible protein. So, I have this as a post-workout healthy treat when I am in that neck of the woods!



I am also adding cocoa nibs to my yogurt in the morning. Cocoa nibs are what is left over from the cocoa bean after chocolate is made. It is also considered a "superfood". It has a very high ORAC reading (which a measurement for antioxidants). This site has some of the benefits of chocolate and cocoa nibs. If you do a search, you will find that there are a lot of different ways to add them to your diet. I bought my package at Whole Foods.

A yummy sounding recipe I found on washingtonpost.com with cocoa nibs....



Bison Steaks With Cocoa Nib Sauce

The Washington Post, February 13, 2008
Dinner in 20 Minutes
Cuisine: American
Course: Main Course
Features: Fast, Healthy


The bison steak medallions we used for this recipe are available at SuperFresh and Wegmans; Whole Foods Markets carry other cuts of buffalo, including flank steak and rib-eye.
The cocoa sauce complements the meat's rich, sweet flavor. Serve with a saute of mixed vegetables or wild rice and a glass of a chocolate-friendly zinfandel or syrah.
4 servings


Ingredients:
2 medium shallots
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 6-ounce bison (buffalo) steak medallions, such as Great Range brand
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 to 3/4 cup zinfandel or syrah
1/4 cup low-sodium beef broth
1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
2 tablespoons cocoa nibs
Pinch sugar (optional)
Several sprigs flat-leaf parsley
Directions:
Mince the shallots and set aside.
Sprinkle the cocoa powder on a plate; use it to lightly coat the both sides of each steak. Lightly season both sides with salt and pepper to taste.
Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking oil spray and place it on the middle oven rack; preheat to 325 degrees.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the steaks and cook for 2 minutes, then turn them over and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Both sides should have a slightly seared, chocolate-brown crust. Use tongs to transfer the meat to the baking dish in the oven.
With the skillet still over medium heat, add the shallots and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they have softened. Add the wine and beef broth; increase the heat to medium-high and cook for 5 minutes, until the liquid has reduced by at least a third. Add the mustard and stir to combine.
Turn off the oven and transfer the meat to the counter to rest (an internal temperature of medium-rare should register 145 degrees on an instant-read thermometer).
Add the cocoa nibs to the skillet and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning; add the sugar, if using. Meanwhile, finely chop the parsley leaves. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the chopped parsley, stirring to combine.
Divide the medallions among individual plates and spoon the cocoa nib sauce over the top. Serve immediately.


Recipe Source:
From assistant Food editor Bonnie S. Benwick.
Tested by Bonnie S. Benwick for The Washington Post.E-mail the Food Section with recipe questions.