Foodbuzz Health Contributing Editor

Take a look at my breakfast this morning;

I had picked up some amazing plum tomatoes yesterday and didn't feel like waiting for lunch time to enjoy them!  I sautéed them in some extra Virgin Olive Oil & some fresh garlic, amazing!

• Plum Tomatoes
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Sea Salt & Black Ground Pepper
• Egg Whites
• Melba Toasts 
• Fresh Chopped Parsley 
• 1/3 Cup Oatmeal w/cinnamon (no pic)

Foodbuzz is launching their new Health Section and has selected Health & Fitness Professionals to write for them!  I was so excited to be selected!  Power Meals is all about Health, Nutrition & Fitness.  I am passionate about sharing my recipes, ideas and inspiring others to eat healthy.

My Fitness Retreats will be starting soon!  I have some new and exciting recipes and ideas to share.  What a great way to start off the Summer!  Thanks Foodbuzz!

Sautéed Asparagus~Today's Breakfast

Today's breakfast was so amazing I had to post it;  sautéed asparagus with extra virgin olive oil, topped with sliced almonds.  Grabbing my protein shake and I'm out the door!  Health Benefits for the wonderful food Asparagus:

• It is high in vitamin K and Folate
• Eat asparagus when you are pregnant or thinking about conceiving – because of it being high in folic acid it helps prevent birth defects such as spina bifida
• Great for your heart
• Helps w*Helps menstrual cramps with fertility problems
• Great for your gastrointestinal tract and your colon
• Helps menstrual cramps
• Great food to help treat depression
• Has been known to increase the success rate of chemo therapy
• Is considered a diuretic which means it is a good anti-inflammatory – best for arthritis, asthma rheumatism, and even water retention…PMS
• Help get rid of warts
• Helps detoxify your body
• Add more asparagus to your diet to lover cholesterol
• Great for nursing mothers stimulating milk production
• Has antioxidant agents – prevents the effects of aging
• Has antifungal and antiviral qualities
• Great for your kidneys – cleansing your body by stimulating urination and preventing kidney stones
• Helps prevent bladder and urinary tract infections
• Use to be used as an a aphrodisiac – increase sexual and comforting feelings
• Helps with treating HIV
• Helps prevent multiple sclerosis
• Helps prevent scurvy
• Asparagus has anti-cancer agents – especially lung cancer
• Helps fight chronic fatigue syndrome
• Helps fight off high blood pressure
• If you bruise easily – eat more asparagus
• Is considered a laxative – eat an asparagus if you have diarrhea and constipation
• Great for your capillaries – eat more asparagus to avoid varicose veins
• Great for your eyes preventing cataracts
• If you are experiencing hair loss- eat more asparagus
• Helps treat toothaches

Fresh Blackberries

Blackberries

In the 'best antioxidants' league table, blackberries are right up there. In fact they are probably in the top ten. 

As we know, antioxidants are fighters of free radicals. 

We are told that a good method to identify an antioxidant-rich fruit or vegetable is by it's dense and dark colors, well just study a blackberry, it passes that test..hands down. Blackberries are also rich in manganese and vitamin C. It is important to have adequate vitamin C as a lack of it can weaken our immune system,which in turn can make you stressed and run down. Other good sources of manganese and vitamin C are strawberries and raspberries.

Fresh Blackberries, Cream & Saigon Cinnamon

Health Benefits of Cinnamon

Besides using it in cooking, cinnamon is also thought to have health benefits.  Recent studies have found that cinnamon may have a beneficial effect on blood sugar. One of the first human studies was published in 2003 in a medical journal called Diabetes Care. Sixty people with type 2 diabetes took 1, 3, or 6 grams of cinnamon in pill form daily, an amount roughly equivalent to one quarter of a teaspoon to 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. After 40 days, all 3 amounts of cinnamon reduced fasting blood glucose by 18 to 29%, triglycerides by 23 to 30%, LDL cholesterol by 7 to 27%, and total cholesterol by 12 to 26%.

Whole Wheat Tart filled with  Protein Pudding, topped with Blackberries Red Raspberries & Blueberries