I love avocado and my favorite way to eat it is in the form of guacamole.

Guacamole is one of the few dishes that are both healthy and super delicious.

The name “guacamole” consists of the combination of two old words of Aztec origin, namely ahuacatl (avocado) and molli (meaning sauce). Wikipedia also notes that traditionally, this sauce contained only well-ripened avocados and sea salt. The sauce was made by crushing it into a kind of volcanic stone mortar, called “molcajete”.

Returning to the subtitle, in which I say that guacamole is one of the few very healthy things that happens to have good taste, that’s right. Guacamole is delicious and contains no trace of cholesterol, only healthy fats. In addition, guacamole has a lot of vitamins (A, C, D, E, K, B6, and B12), calcium, and iron. 

Nutritional values ​​for half an avocado:

• Calories 120
• Protein: 2 g
• Carbohydrates: 6 g
• Dietary fiber 5 g
• Sugars: 0 g
• Fats: 11 g
• Saturated fats: 2 g
• Polyunsaturated fats: 1 g
• Monounsaturated fats: 7 g
• Potassium 364 mg
• Sodium 5 mg

How to choose the perfect avocado? To fully enjoy the taste of an avocado, try to buy fruits that are already ripe. The tail is something that you have to pay attention to. An avocado is ripe if it has dark green skin and if, when pressed in the area where the tail was, it is soft. Otherwise, a ripe avocado fruit must be hard to the touch. Avoid avocados that have brown skin because they are not ripe. If you buy an unripe avocado, you can leave it for a few days until it reaches the desired consistency.

Now let’s get back to the guacamole because I am sure you are curious to find out more about how you can prepare the delicious and famous dip.

Homemade Guacamole

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 or 2 jalapenos
• 2 medium ripe avocados
• 4 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 small red onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• half of a medium tomato
• 1/4 freshly chopped cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon of powdered cumin
• sea salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Once the ingredients are ready, we don’t have much to do. Depending on how spicy (or slightly spicy) you like to eat, adjust the number of jalapenos you will use and be sure to clean the pepper and remove and seeds, then chop it very, very finely with a knife.
2. Cut the avocados with a knife at a height around the core. One of the halves will unfold by rotating it slightly. The seeds will remain in the other half. Tap the kernel with a knife. It has a fairly soft texture, and the blade of the knife will stick a little into it. Using a knife, peel off the seeds. Remove all the pulp from the shell with a spoon. Put the avocado pulp in a bowl. Sprinkle with lime juice to prevent oxidation of the fruit.
3. Mash the avocados with a fork so that it becomes creamy.
4. Finely chop the red onion, garlic, and tomatoes
5. Add the previously chopped vegetables to the mashed avocado.
6. Add the cilantro, powdered cumin, salt pepper, and the remaining lime juice. Stir in with a fork to combine.
7. Spread on a warm toast and enjoy!

There is a high probability that some time ago, if not right now, you followed a diet because you wanted to lose a few pounds.

If your desire was to be weaker this year at the turn of the year, let me help you by advising you NOT to keep a diet. No, I’m not kidding, I’m serious.

You will think now: “but why? My girlfriend lost 10 kilograms with one diet, another lost 5. Why wouldn’t it work for me?”. The answer is that these diets work in the short term, but then those people will gain the lost pounds again, if not put more.

Shine shows us why our belts affect our lives and how good it is to proceed if we want to be healthy.

1. Lack of necessary nutrients. Despite the general opinion, diets are not very healthy and can even lead to malnutrition. Many encourage us to give up essential food groups, so we can no longer get the necessary intake of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Because yes, all these elements are required for the body’s optimal functioning, only their quantity should be dosed.

Moreover, we need a minimum number of calories daily to maintain our energy and cope with everyday problems.

Instead, seek to eat foods with a high intake of nutrients and create a balance in the body.

2. Although your body initially perceives the cure as a shock and you will lose weight, after a while, it will adapt, and if you do not keep your diet for life, when you stop, you will gain weight again.

So it is better to go for a healthy lifestyle, not a summer diet, but an ideal weight for life.

3. Yo-yo. When you follow a strict diet, one day you will feel excellent in your skin, but the next day you will desperately want to eat foods that are “forbidden”. And when you think that you will not be able to refrain from eating everything your heart desires, you will reach the weight you started.

One solution would be not to give up consuming what you like. You have to pay attention only to the quantity, to eat everything in moderation. Make small gifts from time to time as a reward for the weight loss over some time. This way, you will feel pampered and not frustrated.

4. Socialization does not support diet. If you follow a diet, many everyday things will become a problem. For example, going out, dinner invitations, it will all seem so complicated. Because you always have to pay attention to what you eat and you can’t afford to choose from a restaurant menu. Then where are all the fun of life?

Let’s be serious, how many of us can afford to count all the calories ingested? Try to discover some staple foods that fit a healthy lifestyle, that you will find almost wherever you are, and that will turn any meal into a hearty and healthy one.

5. Lack of energy. Decreasing the number of calories inevitably leads to a decrease in energy and labor. You will always feel weak and lifeless.

In this sense, it is good to serve thick and smaller meals to maintain the intake of nutrients.

6. Quantity versus quality. Diets do not teach you how to proceed in the long run. And so, you will end up eating foods low in calories, which will increase your appetite and cravings.

You need to choose foods that are as nutritious as possible. This way, you will be hungry much less often, and you will no longer have to count each calorie, but everything will work on its own.

7. Don’t think one-dimensional. No matter how much the diet helps, it is not enough, especially as the years go by. So try as many exercises as possible, even if it means going up the stairs instead of using the elevator, taking a lunch break, or leaving your car at home and walking to work.

Change your mindset when it comes to losing weight. Stop starving yourself, eat healthily, and you will immediately notice the results of a healthy lifestyle!

As a frequent gym-goer, I have heard my share of the women’s locker room talk. Here are some phrases that I hear the most frequently and I am also sure you’ve also heard:

“I will never be as fit as her.”

“I wish someone would take all food away from me.”

“It’s unbelievable how little self-control I have. I feel miserable”

“I want to start working out for at least an hour each day.”

“I’m not going to eat any more carbs, I hope this will finally make me skinny.”

Don’t feel good in your own skin and try to hide your body? A positive relationship with your own body can invigorate your self-confidence and can change, for the better, your outlook on life.

Most women are unhappy with their appearance. They always have weight problems, and they keep diets, they try to go to the gym, they are interested in creams and body remodeling lotions, they are looking for clothes that hide their imperfections.

Is there something wrong with their attitude? Not necessarily. It is natural to want to look your best because physical beauty is perceived as a premise of social success. A pleasant presence puts social relationships under positive auspices – anyone, or almost anyone, is sensitive to beautifulness.

The problems start from where the dissatisfaction related to one’s own body negatively marks the relationship that everyone has with themselves. These dissatisfactions can become complex of inferiority, giving rise to feelings of insecurity and diminishing self-esteem.

The first to participate in shaping the child’s image of his or her own body are parents – their appreciations remain of overwhelming importance for how the future adult will perceive himself. At puberty and adolescence, body changes naturally draw on body image.

At the border between childhood and youth, the image of one’s own appearance is constantly changing. There is a superior understanding of things, and the model of beauty imposed by society is increasingly important for adolescents in training.

The discovery of one’s sexuality is another touchstone for body image because in this equation comes the partner’s perception and knowledge of one’s own body from an erotic point of view. From the model of the beauty of Antiquity to the present day, there is a very long way.

Today, movie stars and fashion beauties set the tone in all the details that outline an ideal of beauty – from the circumference of the bust to the color of the hair or the shape of the lips. No wonder that any teenager or young woman dreams of having a body similar to that of Hollywood stars, given that the media bombardment creates such an impact! Unfortunately, perfection is hard to achieve. And if, according to the canons in force, you are not a beauty, does that mean you have no value ?! No way!

Here is how you can learn to trust your own body, with its qualities and defects:

1. Accept his imperfections
They are a part of you, which makes you unique and special in a positive way. Have you ever thought about what it would be like to be physically perfect? You’ve probably dreamed of this. But wouldn’t if, if a dream come true, you would too often ask yourself if those around you see something other than your impeccable physique?
2. Imagine yourself beautiful and pleasant to those around you
People see what you want them to see. Emphasize your qualities and show them with confidence to those around you. The defects will remain in the shadows and will go unnoticed.

3. Choose a realistic approach
Try not to associate the way you look with other traits of your personality. If you lose weight, it does not mean that your life, in all its other aspects, will change miraculously. But, if you trust yourself and accept yourself as you are – and for what you are – you will be able to focus on the really important things that are part of your life.

4. Attire is essential
When you do not feel good in your own skin, and you are insecure about the way you look, you will give the eyes of those around you a physique that does not attract attention. So, work on the outfit: straighten your shoulders, suck your belly, keep your chin up. The outcome? Not only will you look much better, but your confidence will jump significantly. And this will be seen in the eyes of others!

5. Small changes, big differences
Try a new eyeshadow, change your haircut or choose other colors for your everyday outfit. It is amazing how such minor changes will increase your self-esteem. They may not suddenly turn you into a beauty, but even the slightest effort you will perceive as a change for the better. And be sure of one more thing: you will get a lot of compliments!

Warm Kale and squash kale salad is my favorite way to eat Kale since it’s a nutritious packed meal. I usually try to prepare it at least once a week, if not more!

I have been eating this salad for the past few months, and I’m still not tired of it. It is that good! The addition of squash and some carefully chosen spices make it a tremendous balanced side dish for any meal. I used to add a drizzle of sriracha sauce, but now I try to avoid adding it because of the added sugars. Almost all the brands put unnecessary sugars and xanthan gum in their Sriracha sauce. So, in case you want to add it to the salad, try to read the label before choosing the dressing carefully.

It is known that Kale has a high content of calcium and sulfur, which together are perfect for strengthening and building bones and as a dressing for the digestive system. Rich in beta carotene, vitamin K and C, and lutein, Kale contains sulforaphane significantly when cut into salad strips. This substance has the property to fight cancer.

Kale is one of the vegetables with the most nutrients needed by our body, no wonder why nutritionists consider it a superfood!

Although it has low-calorie content, in its composition, we find many vitamins and minerals.

Nutritional values for 1 cup of raw Kale
Calories: 30
Protein – 4.3 g
Carbohydrates – 8.7 g
Fibers – 3.6 g
Fats – 1 g
Calcium – 150 mg
Iron – 1.5 g
Magnesium – 48 g
Phosphorus – 92 mg
Vitamin C – 120 mg
Zinc – 0.6 mg

An impressive list, isn’t it? It is a natural source of vitamins and minerals! You won’t even need to buy vitamin supplements. Let’s use all of these nutrients and prepare a delicious warm kale salad!

Warm Kale Squash Salad

Necessary equipment:

• a medium skillet with a lid

Ingredients:

2 servings

• 1 teaspoon of extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup of diced onion
• 1 cup of diced butternut squash
• 2 cups of chopped Kale
• 4 tablespoons of water
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger
• optional: 2 tablespoons tahini
• optional: grated Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast

Instructions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over low, medium heat.
2. Add in the diced onion and fry for about 1 or 2 minutes under a cover.
3. Then, add in the diced butternut squash and kale. Add about 4 tablespoons of water and cover the skillet with a lid.
4. The kale should soften after about 2 minutes. Be careful not to overcook!
5. Uncover the skillet and sprinkle with the spices to taste.
6. Transfer the mixture to serving bowls or plates, drizzle with tahini, and parmesan cheese/nutritional yeast if desired. Serve while still warm.

On cold days we want warm and delicious meals, and this Thre Bean Chili recipe is the perfect choice for an autumn culinary treat.

In addition to classic spices used to make chili, such as cumin and chili powder, it includes other ingredients that give it an extra flavor, such as ginger and harissa – Moroccan hot pepper paste.

Three Bean Chili is a relatively simple dish that can be cooked with ingredients accessible to anyone. Popular in Tex-Mex cuisine, it is an explosion of flavors and an excellent protein intake. Even in the vegetable version, it retains its unique taste, and proteins are also present in large numbers. This makes the Chili vegan recipe flexible and accessible to many types of diets.

Although you can enjoy it as such, it is a very versatile dish and can be the basis of other delicious meals. It can be prepared in advance and frozen so that it will be very easy for you to quickly prepare lunch or dinner. You can eat it in combination with baked potatoes, whole-wheat pasta, or mashed avocado.

Nutrients in this recipe

Black beans are rightly considered a miracle food for health and figure. Research has shown that beans have high iron content, contribute to increased immunity, increase burns in the body and lead to lower cholesterol.

Cooked as simply as possible, boiled or steamed, because it retains all its nutrients and phenolic content, black beans are not only a real pleasure for the taste buds or stomach but also bring real health benefits.

Black beans are very rich in antioxidants, their black color being due to a substance called anthocyanin. This is a flavonoid, which is also found in fruits and vegetables such as blueberries, currants, or red cabbage, considered true food wonders for the health and proper functioning of the human body.

Potatoes are especially associated with fried, harmful, and fattening foods, and for centuries they had an even worse reputation than this: they were considered poisonous. At the same time, they are one of the most consumed foods in the world. But on closer inspection, this vegetable turned out to be very healthy, rich in vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, fiber, and even antioxidants. They contain fiber, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin B6, calcium, and magnesium. All these substances balance blood pressure, lower the total value of cholesterol in the blood, maintain the health of blood vessels and prevent the formation of clots.

Jalapeno peppers – if you make a constant effort to eat healthier, it would be good to make a habit of eating hot peppers, especially jalapenos. They come bundled with a lot of benefits. If you do not have a problem with spicy food, you can consider yourself lucky. You have a lot to gain in terms of health if you put hot peppers in your diet. Jalapenos, hot green peppers, a slight bulging at the base have come to be considered a superfood. And that is thanks to the active ingredient inside, called capsaicin.

The inclusion of spinach in the daily diet brings many benefits to the body – it protects the eyes, reduces oxidative stress and blood pressure, being indicated in many common diseases. Most carbohydrates in spinach are, in fact, insoluble fibers that support the digestive system, prevent constipation, and maintain a feeling of satiety.

Cumin has some vital antioxidant active substances in its composition, the essential being curcumin (curcumin). Antioxidants fight free radicals that damage cell membranes, damage cellular DNA, and even lead to complete cell destruction.

Three Bean Chili

Necessary equipment:

• a large saucepan
• a rubber spatula

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion
• 3 medium white potatoes
• 1 medium red bell pepper
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 cups of fresh spinach
• 1 jalapeno pepper
• 2 chili peppers
• 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cups dry black beans (soaked overnight in water) or 15 ounces can of black beans
• 2 cups dry kidney beans (soaked overnight in water) or 15 ounces can of kidney beans
• 1 cup dry pinto beans (soaked overnight in water) or 15 ounces can of pinto beans
• 1 can of diced tomatoes
• 2 or 3 teaspoons of chili powder
• 2 teaspoons of dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon harissa
• 1/2 teaspoon of cumin
• a pinch of ground ginger
• a pinch of sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup of sweet corn
• 1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley

Instructions:

1. Peel and dice the onion, potatoes, and red bell pepper into small cubes.
2. Peel and mince the garlic cloves and finely slice the jalapeno and chili peppers. Finely chop spinach as well.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan on low-medium heat.
4. Add in the minced garlic cloves and sliced hot peppers. Cook while stirring for about 1 minute.
5. Add in the diced onions. Cook for about 5 minutes while stirring occasionally.
6. Add in the diced potatoes and red bell pepper. Stir and cook for about 10 to 15 minutes. You might have to add some water to prevent potatoes from sticking.
7. If using canned beans, drain and rinse them very well, before proceeding to the next step.
8. Add in the three types of beans and the diced tomatoes. Add all the spices and mix to combine. Cover with a lid and leave to simmer for about 10 minutes.
9. Add in the spinach and corn. Stir them in and turn off the heat. Leave everything under a cover for 3 more minutes.
10. Serve warm with a sprinkle of freshly chopped parsley!

Some time ago, a friend told me that I should post more straightforward recipes on the blog for people who do not have much experience in the kitchen or do not have the time or desire to spend too much time cooking. When I asked him to give me an example, he told me that I could also post sandwich recipes. I laughed then, thinking, “what great sandwich recipe could I put?”.

Then, I thought better of it and realized that the presentation of such “recipes” might justify the idea. That is, it may be the presentation of a less common combination or even a specific ingredient. Not to mention that it is always better to prepare a sandwich at home on our own than to buy one on the run at work, which contains all kinds of sauces with many additives are just a few slices of “smeared” bread with something.

Sometimes I make a sandwich with salmon and spinach. The combination of soft and fragrant salmon with tender spinach and crispy red onions can be the winning recipe for a delicious sandwich. It is tasty, fast, nutritious, and inviting.

When I know I will have a busy day, and I won’t have time to prepare lunchtime, I make this sandwich, and my day is saved!

Salmon is a fish appreciated by nutritionists, as it is a rich source of Omega 3 fatty acids, essential amino acids, and proteins while also providing the body with healthy fats. In addition to this, it is a highly delicious fish, which you can cook in different ways.

Pair the juicy cooked salmon fillets with two slices of whole-wheat bread and sauteed spinach, and you will have a delicious and nutritious sandwich on your plate! Just perfect for grabbing it on the go for your lunch!

Baby Spinach Salmon Sandwich

Necessary equipment:

• a pan grill
• a skillet

Ingredients:

2 servings

• 1/2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 pound boneless and skinless wild salmon fillets
• 1 cup of baby spinach
• 4 slices whole-wheat bread with seeds
• 1 small tomato
• 1 small red onion
• 2 leaves of lettuce

Instructions:

1. Combine extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, and herbs in a small bowl or jar to make the marinade.
2. Place the salmon fillets into a container and cover them with the marinade. Cover the container, place it in the fridge, and allow the fillets to marinate for at least 1 hour.
3. Remove the fillets from the fridge and let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.
4. Preheat the pan grill to medium heat and lightly spray it with cooking spray (coconut oil or olive oil). Place them onto the prepared pan grill and grill for about 5 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fillets.
5. Then, carefully flip the salmon fillets and grill for another 5 minutes on the other side. Remove from the grill and set aside.
6. Heat a skillet on low heat while the salmon fillet cools down, add the baby spinach, and saute for 2 minutes, covered.
7. When the spinach has cooked, transfer to a bowl.
8. Use a knife to slice the tomato and red onion into thin slices.
9. Prepare the slices of bread. Place lettuce leaves, sauteed spinach, tomato, and onion slices on top of two pieces of bread. Add grilled salmon slices, and top with the two other bread slices.
10. For a healthy combo, serve the sandwiches with a mixed greens salad!