Food and Nutrition

We all know we should eat healthy (easier said than done sometimes, especially this time of the year.....).  One thing everyone should make sure they are getting enough of is food with antioxidants.  Antioxidants protect against free radicals which damage cells and play a role in heart disease, cancer and macular degeneration (loss of central vision).  Antioxidants include:

Vitamin A - milk, eggs
Vitamin C - fruits and veggies including papaya, strawberries, oranges, bell peppers, broccoli, kale
Vitamin E - nuts and seeds, green leafy veggies like spinach and kale
Beta Carotene - colorful fruits and veggies like carrots, peas, apricots, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, squash
Lutein - green leafy veggies like spinach and kale
Lycopene - pink and red fruits and veggies
Selenium - cereals, nuts and legumes, animal products, pastas, breads
(American Academy of Family Physicians)

Check out Dr. Oz's antioxidant checklist.  There is a chart you can print as well:
Dr. Oz's Antioxidant Checklist

Here's a recipe that I love which includes a lot of these things.  It's vegetarian but I added ground turkey last time I made it to bump up the protein even more, but I think turkey sausage would be even better!!

Kale and White Bean Soup

2 tbsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

¼ cup onion, chopped

2 cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

2 large handfuls of kale, stems removed, torn into small pieces

3 cups veggie stock (I use chicken stock)

3 cups water

1 tsp dried rosemary

¼ tsp crushed red pepper

Salt and pepper to taste

Parmesan to grate on top

In large heated pot, add olive oil, then onion and garlic and sauté until onion is soft. Add the rest of the ingredients minus the parm and bring to boil.  Simmer until kale has softened.  Top with parm.  I used ground turkey in this soup as well, but a turkey sausage would probably be yummy in it as well!