Drink up to your health (post 3 of 4)
• Coffee: Coffee can contain about 2 calories per cup of just straight black coffee and with cream or sugar or other additions are made to the cup the calories can go up to even 350 calories per serving. Coffee drinking can reduce your risks of type 2 diabetes and even Parkinson’s disease as well. It can help ward off gallstones and some types of cancers even. But, coffee is only good in moderation as with anything else. Slow down when you drink it and watch how your body responds.
• Milk Alternatives: This includes soy milk, almond milk and even rice milk and the calories vary from source to source. With soy milk you can get about 100 calories per servings and with almond milk about 60 calories per serving. As with rice milk you are looking at about 120 calories per serve. Soy milk has been out longer than the other milks as far as media is concerned and soy milk, as well as the other tow milks are easier to digest than cow’s milk. Almond milk contains high amounts of vitamin E and even protein. And when buying milk alternatives look to ones that are fortified with calcium and vitamin D.
• Decaf Coffee: Decaf coffee contains about the same amount of calories as regular coffee, but if doesn’t contain the caffeine, which maybe better for some people’s system. As with regular coffee, decaf coffee has been shown to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes as well, but the chemical used to remove the caffeine is actually harmful to your health. A better alternative is Swiss water process with is indicated on the packaging.
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Earthly Eating Recipe
Kale and Chevre Soup
Serves: 8
2 cups white beans, rinse and soak overnight
2 tbs. salt
2 tbs, unsalted butter
1 medium carrot, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1-1/2 cups tomato puree
1 cup chopped roasted red peppers
1 bunch black kale, stemmed and chopped
2 dried bay leaves
1 tbs, dried thyme
1 tsp. red chili flakes
1 cup heavy cream
1-1/2 cups soft goat cheese
1 tsp. black or white pepper
Kosher salt to taste
Place the beans and the water in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and remove film from top. Simmer and add salt and allow to cook for up to 1 hour. Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan, melt the butter and cook the carrots, celery, onion and garlic unto they are browned and softened. Stir in tomato puree and black kale and cook for about 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in vegetable mixture once the beans have cooked fully for an hour. Add the bay leaves, thyme and chili flakes and cook for 20 minutes. Add the heavy cream and goat cheese then salt and pepper to taste. Cook for an additional 20 minutes and serve.
Happy Eating!
July 21st, 2009 at 9:55 am
Black coffee is my favorite, unless its a special occassion then I don’t mind splurging on the calories!