What's New in Natural Foods

January 2008

Happy New Year!

It's considered a time for new beginnings, so 2008 is a perfect time to try a new look for my newsletter. First and foremost, my intention is that this monthly communication will contain information you can use on your way to healthy eating. And I want to keep you informed about what's going on in the realm of natural foods classes and conferences. I hope it interests and inspires you.

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Get Your Diet Back on Track After the Holidays

It's easy to get caught in the habit of eating all the fun and tasty foods the holiday season has to offer.  We begin to crave sweets and refined carbohydrates more than usual, and it's not always easy to rein it  in.  Try some of these easy ideas for getting out of the post-holiday food rut:

Start the day off with protein
Protein in the morning will give you more energy during the day, and will help diminish your cravings for sweets and caffeine. Eggs, sausages (natural and additive-free, of course), smoked salmon, even leftovers from last night's dinner or a simple turkey sandwich are all good choices for breakfast.

Think Green
Adding a serving of green vegetables to your meals will provide you with important nutrients (such as magnesium and B vitamins) that are depleted by the holiday excesses of stress, alcohol, caffeine, and sugar. Try adding fresh or frozen spinach (loose packed) to the pan with your scrambled eggs!

Get more sweetness from vegetables
Carrots, beets, sweet potatoes, winter squashes, parsnips - - the sweet flavored root vegetables are not only nourishing in the traditional way (vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, fiber), but they can also diminish cravings for less nutritious sweets.  People need the sweet flavor-it's natural to want it. By getting more healthful sweet tasting food, it can help satisfy our cravings without desserts.

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January Classes at The Wedge

To jump-start your commitment to healthy eating this year, I'm offering two pertinent classes at the Wedge Co-op. If you live in the Twin Cities area, come join us.
Details for both classes:
7:00-8:30 p.m.
The Wedge Co-op: 2105 Lyndale Ave. So.
Minneapolis MN  55105
$22/$18 co-op members
Please call 612-871-3993 to register

Shape Up Your Diet
Wednesday January 9th, 2008
Do your New Year's Resolutions include improving your overall health? Simple dietary adjustments can have a profound impact on your well-being. In this class, you'll identify changes that deliver results (what kind of results?). You'll also learn how to make food choices at a pace that's comfortable for you. Try my recommendations and your resolutions can become your reality.

Getting Off the Sugar Roller Coaster
Wednesday January 16th, 2008
Sweet tooth out of control?  Do you often HAVE to have something sweet? Sounds like the sugar blues! Learn about the physiological effects of sugar on your body, mind and moods. Sugar addiction is a very real thing, so we'll discuss practical ways to handle binges and cravings without going crazy; it can be as easy as changing your breakfast.  You'll also learn about natural sweeteners, and how to incorporate healthy sweetness into your life.

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New Small-Group Nutrition Classes Start at the End of January

My small-group classes offer a clear path out of the confusion around what to eat for a healthy balance. Combining traditional food wisdom with the modern scientific understanding of nutrition, you'll learn how to make dietary changes that support your health and improve your quality of life. Through lectures and some hands-on cooking time, the class is designed to help you integrate natural foods into your daily life so that you can put what you learn into practice.

Sessions:
Classes meet 10 times for 4 months (Jan-April) at my home in the Minneapolis Uptown area.

Monday night classes meet from 7:00-8:30 p.m.
Saturday morning classes meet from 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 noon.
Sessions where we cook meet evenings only at 6:30.

The class series is $640 and can be paid in installments.

For more information, contact jennette@jennette-turner.com.

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Winter Citrus

Citrus fruits are in season now, and there are plenty of good reasons to take advantage of them! They're a great source of the antioxidant vitamin C, which strengthens the immune system and has been associated with reduced risk of heart disease, cancer and stroke. All citrus fruits contain phytonutrients called limonoids that promote the formation of special enzymes in the liver that detoxify carcinogenic compounds and inhibit tumor formation.

Citrus fruits are also rich in flavanoids.  Oranges have the most herperidin, which helps lower high blood pressure and has anti-inflammatory properties; limes have the most flavonol glycosides, which have antibiotic properties and can help prevent infectious diseases; grapefruits have the most rutin, which strengthens capillaries and blood vessels. Many of these powerful health boosters are found in the pulp and white pith of the fruits, however, so to get the full benefit you need to eat the whole fruit, not just drink the juice!

Cooking with citrus
I feature citrus in a number of recipes this month at Dinner with Jennette. You'll get great health benefits from dishes like "Grapefruit Chicken," "Grapefruit and Avocado Quesadillas" and "Caribbean Banana Curry Chicken with Lime."  Other delicious meals include recipes for "Pork Tenderloin with Cherry Glaze," "Enchilada Casserole with Easy Mole Sauce," and "Turkey Dijon Stew with Potatoes and Kale."

It's a new year-start it off right with healthful, balanced meals!  Make it easy: subscribe to Dinner with Jennette.

I hope you'll take the time to visit my general web site and look around for information that interests you and addresses your needs. I'd love to hear from you with suggestions or comments, so contact me: jennette@jennette-turner.com

I wish you and yours have a safe and happy 2008.

Jennette