When asking what fruits and vegetables can do for you, the real question should be, what can’t they do? These powerhouses are packed with the fiber, vitamins and minerals essential for maintaining the health and vitality of your body. Learn more about why you’ll want to add more produce to all your family’s meals!
How much and why?
The recommended serving size of fruits and veggies is five per day. But how much is one serving? It’s generally considered one-half cup, though for leafy greens like lettuce and spinach, a serving is one cup. Vegetables are naturally low in fat and calories. The fiber in both fruits and veggies helps you feel fuller longer and contributes to maintaining healthy cholesterol levels. And, they’re packed with all kinds of nutrients your body needs.
Carotenoids
Richly colored molecules, carotenoids are what puts the bright red, yellow and orange hues in both fruits and veggies. While there are more than 600 different types of carotenoids, a few you might have heard of include lycopene, beta carotene and lutein. Carotenoids have antioxidant properties—a boost to your immune system and can help to lower inflammation. Try these beautifully colored carotenoid-packed fruits and vegetables:
Tomatoes
Carrots
Spinach
Sweet potatoes
Collard greens
Oranges
Watermelon
Vitamins & Minerals
Vitamins A, C, D, E and K as well as the nine vitamins that make up the B complex are a vital part of a healthy diet. Each one of these 14 vitamins plays a key role in various parts of your body’s well-being. A diet rich in produce is also a great source of minerals. Potassium is the mineral most abundant in fruits and vegetables, and is a contributor to lower blood pressure. While no single fruit or vegetable contains all vitamins and minerals, when you eat a variety of produce, you’ll be taking in an abundance of these important nutrients.
Where to start?
It’s easy to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your diet when you start with the things you know and love. Take a familiar dinner and veggify it! Love fish? Serve it up on a bed of greens with shredded cabbage, tomatoes and avocados, then dress with a sweet and savory mango salsa—colorful and delicious. Is pasta your thing? Try subbing the pasta with potassium-rich spaghetti squash, top it with your favorite sauce, add a side salad and you’ve got a perfect dinner. Or, take the bun out of your burger and serve it smothered in your favorite vegetables sautéed in olive oil.
Easy and delicious, juicing fruits and vegetables, either by themselves or in combinations, is a super refreshing way to get those recommended five servings a day. Check out our great article, Juicing Made Easy, where you’ll learn more and discover tasty sippable combos!
Get prepared
Plan your weekly meals ahead of time to stay on track with this downloadable worksheet!
GET WORKSHEET
Did you know?
More tomatoes are consumed in the U.S. than any other single fruit or vegetable!
Wake up and smell the keto and paleo friendly coffee! Grass-fed ghee, coconut oil and MCT oil are combined to create a nutrient dense, delicious morning cup of coffee. Simply blend up a fresh cup of coffee with one drop for a smooth and creamy treat to fuel your day.
Keto Coffee Drops
Ingredients:
1/4 cup MCT Oil
1/2 cup Grass-fed Ghee
1/2 cup Coconut Oil
1/2 tsp. Ground cinnamon, optional
1/2 tsp. Vanilla extract, optional
1 pinch Salt, optional
Directions:
To make the drops: Add MCT oil, ghee and coconut oil to a small pot and melt over medium heat. Add ground cinnamon, vanilla and salt. Whisk until well combined. Pour melted mixture into ice cube molds and freeze until solid. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
To make the coffee: Brew a fresh cup of coffee and place in one drop. Blend with an immersion blender until drop has completely melted. If you do not have an immersion blender, pour coffee into a blender, place in one drop and blend until melted.
One of the benefits of choosing organic produce, is knowing it was grown without synthetic pesticides or herbicides which are used in conventional farming to reduce or eliminate the detrimental effects of pests, whether they’re of the plant or insect variety. Additionally, anything organic is also free of GMOs, or genetically modified organisms. If you’re looking to avoid pesticides in your diet, read on!
Every year, the Environmental Working Group tests over 35,000 samples of produce in order to discover how much pesticide residue is present on certain fruits and vegetables. They create a list of the produce that has the most and least pesticide residues on them.
Conventional Produce
When conventionally grown, these fruits and veggies have the least amount of pesticides on them:
Avocados
Sweet corn
Pineapples
Cabbages
Onions
Sweet peas
Papayas
Asparagus
Mangoes
Eggplants
Honeydews
Kiwis
Cantaloupes
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Organic Produce
Avoiding pesticides? These fruits and veggies are great organic options. Their conventionally grown counterparts had the highest amounts of pesticides on them. Start with these options:
Strawberries
Spinach
Nectarines
Apples
Grapes
Peaches
Cherries
Pears
Tomatoes
Celery
Potatoes
Sweet Bell Peppers
Did you know?
We think of the organic food movement as something recent, but really, it began in the 1940s as a response to the introduction of high-yield varieties and the use of pesticides.
Simply put, the keto diet is a low-carb diet similar to the Atkins diet. Also known as a ketogenic diet, the keto diet works on the concept that your body loses weight more efficiently when it burns fat for fuel instead of carbs or sugar. To better understand the process, we’ll need to explore ketones and ketosis.
What are ketones and ketosis?
Ketones, also called ketone bodies, are chemicals produced in the liver. A product of your body breaking down fat for energy, ketones are produced when there is a limited amount of glucose (used for energy) available for your body to use. Ketosis is a result of the body using ketones in the blood for energy rather than the body using glucose as an energy source—the usual method of fueling your body.
The Keto Diet Plan
The key to the keto diet is jumpstarting ketosis by limiting carbs and eating good-for-you fats to burn instead—putting your body in a state of ketosis. Naturally, burning fat for fuel allows you to lose weight.
Fats
Over the last few years, the taboo on fat has been lifted. The keto diet focuses on healthy fats from oils, nuts and seeds, cooking fats and dairy products. Examples of ketogenic fats and oils include butter or ghee (a clarified butter), sesame oil, olive oil and MCT oil, among others. Nuts and seeds with lower net carb counts include almonds, walnuts and pumpkin seeds (also known as pepitas). Macadamia nuts and pecans are the two with the lowest carb counts, making them a great choice for your keto menu.
Dairy
Dairy is another acceptable form of fat allowed on the keto diet. Like the oils, nuts and seeds, you’ll want to keep an eye on the net carbohydrate count of the dairy you choose. Swiss, Brie, goat and cream cheeses are great sources of dairy fat to consider in your keto meal plan, as is sour cream for toppings.
Proteins
Where possible, opt for grass-fed and organic proteins. Grain-fed meats and dairy are higher in nutrients than those that are conventionally farmed. When choosing beef, look for cuts with a higher fat content, like ground beef, steak and roast. Similarly, look for fish with a high healthy-fat content like salmon and mackerel. Proteins to avoid on keto include processed meats like deli meat and hot dogs.
Carbohydrates
You’ll want to limit your carbohydrates while eating keto. Instead of getting carbs from grains, rice and starches like potatoes, you’ll incorporate lower-carb veggies and fruits. Think of leafy greens and those vegetables that grow above ground, like broccoli, cauliflower and asparagus.
What Not to Eat on a Keto Diet
There are some things you’ll need to avoid eating, in order to keep your body in ketosis. Processed carbs, sugars and fried food are good to avoid in any healthy diet. For keto, you’ll also omit grains, sugar, legumes (like beans and lentils), starchy vegetables and certain high-carb fruits.
Before you make any changes to your diet, be sure to consult your physician because everybody needs something different!Did you know? Popular in the 1920s and ‘30s, the ketogenic diet was originally developed to help treat epilepsy.
Broccoli, artichokes and asparagus contain the short-chain carbohydrate oligosaccharide—a potential cause of digestive disorders for some people.
What does FODMAP mean?
It’s okay if FODMAP sounds like an unusual made-up word to you—it is. An acronym, FODMAP stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols. What do all those fermentable substances have in common? They’re all short-chain carbohydrates.
Found in many common foods, FODMAPS can be a problem for some people because they are not well-absorbed by their small intestine. When a person, who has this intolerance, eats a food high in FODMAPs, the food that was poorly absorbed in the small intestine travels into the large intestine where it becomes an extra food source for the gut bacteria there. For some people, these short-chain FODMAP carbs can cause digestive disorders.
A Low-FODMAP Diet
A low-FODMAP diet is often recommended by a health professional who recognizes their patient may be experiencing symptoms caused by eating these FODMAPs. On a low-FODMAP diet, you avoid those foods that contain the fermentable carbohydrates. To make it easy, we’ll break it down by letters!
The O in FODMAP refers to oligosaccharides which can be found in high amounts in the following foods:
Artichokes
Asparagus
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Dried fruit
Garlic
Onion
Inulin
Lentils
Beans
Soy beans
Split peas
Cashews
Pistachios
Barley
Rye
Wheat
The D in FODMAP refers to disaccharides, or lactose, which can be found in high amounts in the following foods:
Milk (cow, goat and sheep)
Buttermilk
Custard
Ice cream
Yogurt
Evaporated milk
Milk powder
The M in FODMAP refers to monosaccharides which can be found in high amounts in the following foods:
Apples
Figs
Peaches
Pears
Watermelon
The P in FODMAP refers to polyols which can be found in in high amounts in the following foods:
Apples
Apricots
Cherries
Nectarines
Pears
Peaches
Prunes
Watermelon
Avocado
Cauliflower
Mushrooms
Snow peas
Sorbitol
Mannitol
Xylitol
Isomalt
High-fructose corn syrup
Low-FODMAP vs. Gluten-Free
At first glance, it may seem like a low-FODMAP diet is similar to a gluten-free diet because they both avoid wheat, barley and rye. Gluten is the protein present in those three grains which is why they’re avoided on a gluten-free diet. Wheat, barley and rye also contain fructans, a source of the oligosaccharides carbs that are to be avoided in a low-FODMAP diet.
Sleep is as important to our health as eating, drinking and breathing (check out The Importance of Sleep to find out more). So, when you’re having trouble getting enough, you might turn to a supplement for help. Here are some of the herbs you’ll want to look for in your natural sleep aid.
Valerian Root
Valerian, or Valeriana officinalis, is a tall, flowering grassland plant. It’s been used for its mild sedative effect since the time of ancient Greece and Rome. Because of its ability to help you fall asleep more quickly and sleep better once you’re there, you’ll find valerian root in many sleep supplements.
GABA
Gamma-aminobutyric acid is a neurotransmitter that’s naturally produced in the brain. Its job is to reduce the activity of neurons in the brain and central nervous system. The effects of GABA include increased relaxation, a calming and balancing effect on mood, as well as reduce stress. So, for those of us with an overactive bedtime brain, GABA quiets our minds for better rest.
5-HTP
An amino acid, 5-HTP stands for 5-Hydroxytryptophan. Like GABA, 5-HTP is something that your body makes naturally. It’s used in the production of serotonin which is also a precursor to melatonin. Imbalances in both melatonin and serotonin are linked to sleep disorders.
Melatonin
A hormone produced mainly in the pineal gland, melatonin is an important player in the regulation of your sleep-wake cycle. Usually, your body makes more melatonin at night and levels drop off when you wake. This is why some sleep formulas will have small amounts of Melatonin to support a restful night’s sleep.
Try these supplements for a better night’s sleep:
Sleep Rejuvenation™ from Source Naturals
Rescue Plus Sleep Gummy with Melatonin from Nelson Bach
Tranquil Sleep from Natural Factors
Sleep from Youtheory
Deep Sleep® from Herbs, etc.
Essential Oils for Sleep
Aromatherapy is a type of alternative medicine that relies on your powerful sense of smell. When inhaled, essential oils stimulate the olfactory senses and also interact with the respiratory system and brain, especially that part of the brain called the limbic system. Certain essential oils help to promote rest and relaxation, making them a great addition to your good-night’s-rest tool kit.
Sleep by Everyone Essential Oils
Peaceful Sleep from Now® Essential Oils
Pillow Potion by Aura Cacia
Homeopathics for Sleep
Homeopathy is based on the concept that “like cures like” and that your body is designed to cure itself. Homeopathic remedies are designed to help stimulate that healing process. Here are some products specifically formulated to help you get a better night’s sleep:
The basics of the Paleo diet are pretty simple, but having some tried-and-true recipes in your back pocket help ensure your success at staying on track with your healthy choices. We’ve gathered some of our faves that are sure to become some of yours!
Breakfast
Always a plus, both of these breakfasts can be made ahead. The Ham-n-Egg cups are an easy traditional take on breakfast. The chia pudding is packed with nutrients, plus the MCT oil will help keep you going!
Ham-n-Egg CupsPaleo Chia Seed Pudding with MCT Oil
Paired with greens of your choice, these three recipes make for easy weeknight dinners. The salmon cakes can be made ahead and reheated making them a good choice for planned-overs. Leftover steak could be added to a dinner-sized salad tomorrow. Endless, easy possibilities!
Oven Roasted ChickenJalapeño Grilled New York SteakPaleo Salmon Cakes
The New Year is full of big goals and new routines, but you can’t achieve great things if you aren’t taking care of your body and mind. Next time you’re feeling a bit stressed, take a step back and implement some of these self-care tips so you can be your best year-round!
Physical Self-Care
Physical self-care includes all the things that allow your body to function properly. From getting enough sleep to supplementing nutrient deficiencies with vitamins, these all can make a huge impact on your overall well-being. Make sure you’re staying active, fueling your body with proper fruits and veggies, and staying on top of your physical health.
Meditation
Once you have taken care of yourself physically, meditation becomes a great tool to quiet the mind and relax. Often times we have a long to-do list and don’t take the time we need to recharge. Meditation allows you to put the phone away, sit quietly with your thoughts and focus on the moment. Challenge yourself to spend 5 minutes a day with no distractions and focus on your thoughts and taking meaningful, deep breaths.
Establish a Morning Routine
Often times the mornings are chaotic with getting kids dressed and off to school, grabbing coffee and burnt toast and off to work we go! This results in a rush of cortisol to start the day which can leave you feeling sluggish and fatigued later on. Establishing a solid morning routine allows you to set the tone for the day and remain in control of your energy. Start with something as simple as making your bed, then add in a morning stretch or anything else that will help you have a more peaceful day.
Start a Journal
If you haven’t journaled before it can seem overwhelming to put all your thoughts onto paper, but have no fear! By allowing yourself to express and feel your emotions through writing, you won’t bottle up daily stressors that can lead to bigger issues down the road. Start by taking 20 minutes, in the morning or at night, to write anything that comes to mind! If it helps, start by writing about your day and let the pen do the rest. Don’t worry about spelling- just get it all out!
Essential Oils
Aromatherapy is a type of alternative medicine that relies on your powerful sense of smell. When inhaled, essential oils stimulate the olfactory senses and also interact with the respiratory system and brain, especially that part of the brain called the limbic system. Certain essential oils help to promote rest and relaxation, making them a great addition to your self-care tool kit. Get started with these great oils below:
Sleep by Everyone Essential Oils
Peaceful Sleep from Now® Essential Oils
Pillow Potion by Aura Cacia
Pamper Yourself
You deserve it! When life gets stressful, it’s important to take some time for yourself. A great way to do this is by taking a long bath with Epsom salt or a bath bomb, try a DIY Vanilla sugar Scrub, or indulge in your favorite treat like a glass of wine or chocolatey dessert. While these seem so simple, your body and mind will thank you.
With a belief that real life should be real simple, Mountain High crafts delicious yogurt that’s made in California with Real California Milk. Their centuries-old method does not use gelatin or other funny stuff. Even their original, whole milk plain yogurt only has four, simple ingredients—making Mountain High the perfect and wholesome blank canvas for, well, just about anything. Topped with granola and fruit for breakfast, dolloped on tacos for dinner or included in a deliciously moist baked good—the possibilities are as limitless as your imagination!
Autumn and apples go hand-in-hand. You’ll love this tasty Fall Apple Streusel Cake created by our vlogger friend Dzung Duong of Honeysuckle, a food and lifestyle channel. And the secret to the cake’s super-light and fluffy texture? You guessed it, Mountain High Yoghurt! Delight your friends and family with this holiday-worthy cake.
Video Description: Apple Streusel Cake with Mountain High Yoghurt by Dzung Duong of Honeysuckle
Honeysuckle is a food and lifestyle channel hosted by Dzung Duong whose dedication to simplifying gourmet recipes, lifestyle design, and responsible beauty has allowed her to grow into a YouTube sensation. Dzung has been cooking since she was 8 years-old, when her grandmother taught her authentic Vietnamese recipes with a twist. Her exceptional content, produced with a playful edge, has made her channel a destination with a full video production business, which she runs with her business partner husband, Nate Lewis. Her mission is: to “inspire young women across the globe to use food and lifestyle choices to develop creativity, self-confidence and community in everyday life.” They live in Los Angeles with their daughter, Erisy, and border collie.
Share article How to Cook a Turkey in 90 Minutes on:
Wondering how long to cook a turkey? Good news—there’s no need to babysit or baste a turkey for hours! This turkey recipe roasts an entire bird in an hour and a half. All you need to do is plan ahead for brining.
Quick tips to learn how to best cook your turkey:
Tip 1: Cook a turkey that weighs 14 pounds or less.
Larger birds require more time to roast, which means there is a higher likelihood of drying out the meat. Consider roasting a pair of turkeys if you decide to go beyond 14 pounds for the best and juiciest results.
Tip 2: Skip the stuffing and choose aromatics.
Sticking with aromatics makes it possible to impart delicious scents and flavors into the turkey meat while roasting. It also expedites roasting time.
Tip 3: Dry, oil and season the skin.
Crispy skin is possible with paper towels and oil. Remove as much moisture as possible from the skin of your turkey. Thereafter, use oil to coat the entire bird and season with salt and pepper. It’s all you need to cook up a flavorful and crispy exterior.
Tip 4: Avoid the thermometer.
To clarify, don’t pay attention to the thermometer that comes with the bird. You know, the plastic one that pops up notifying you the turkey is done. By the time it pops, your bird will likely be very dry after resting. Instead, remove your turkey from the oven when it reaches 161°F on a meat thermometer. The turkey will continue to cook as it rests.
Tip 5: Remember to rest.
Don’t allow the juices go to waste by carving your turkey right when it comes out of the oven. Allow your bird to sit on the roasting rack for at least 15 minutes under a loose foil tent. After that, carve your bird for the juiciest meat.
INGREDIENTS:
1 12-pound Fresh, all-natural young turkey, innards removed
Create the brine by combining the vegetable broth, salt, brown sugar, black pepper, allspice and ginger in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally to dissolve the solids and bring to a boil. Then, remove the brine from the heat, cool to room temperature and refrigerate.
On the night prior to serving, combine the brine with the iced water. Place the turkey—breast side down—in the brine, making sure it’s fully submerged. Cover and refrigerate (or set in a cool area) for 8–16 hours. Turn the turkey once halfway through brining.
Preheat the oven to 500°F.
Remove the turkey from the brine, making sure there is no excess liquid. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels and set in a roasting pan using a roasting rack.
Create the aromatics by combining the apple, onion, cinnamon stick and 1 cup of water in a microwave-safe dish. Microwave on high for 5 minutes. Discard the water and add the steeped aromatics to the turkey cavity, along with the rosemary and sage.
Tuck the wings under the turkey and tie the legs with kitchen twine.
Coat the turkey liberally with vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper.
Roast the turkey on the lowest level of the oven for 30 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 350°F. Continue roasting for 1 hour or until a meat thermometer reads 161°F. If the skin begins to brown too quickly, lightly tent a piece of foil over the turkey.
Remove the turkey from the oven and cover loosely with foil. Allow it to rest for 15 minutes before carving.
About Joanna
Joanna is a commercial food stylist based in Phoenix, Arizona. Her work and recipes have been seen around the world. When she is not styling for her favorite brands, she enjoys publishing recipes and sharing her love of everything food on her self-titled blog many remember as Baked by Joanna. Her other interests include spending time with her family and staying healthy and fit.
How much and why?
Simply put, the keto diet is a low-carb diet similar to the Atkins diet. Also known as a ketogenic diet, the keto diet works on the concept that your body loses weight more efficiently when it burns fat for fuel instead of carbs or sugar. To better understand the process, we’ll need to explore ketones and ketosis.
Sleep is as important to our health as eating, drinking and breathing (check out 
The New Year is full of big goals and new routines, but you can’t achieve great things if you aren’t taking care of your body and mind. Next time you’re feeling a bit stressed, take a step back and implement some of these self-care tips so you can be your best year-round!
