Picture this.  You have about 15 minutes to get dressed, 17 minutes if you put your lip gloss on in the car.  You’re standing in front of your closet, and everything you see looks like the leftovers you have from dinner three night’s ago.  The vapid articles of clothing hanging before you will do, but they’re nothing for which you’re going to do the happy dance.   You moan, “I have nothing to wearrrrrrr…” just one more time before you give up on your search.  So, you throw on the first thing you can grab (and that’s clean) and head out the door.  You’re dressed, but certainly not impressed.  Sound familiar?

Image Credit – myescapehatch.blogspot.com

Well, I’ve definitely been in that situation more than a few hundred times, and more recently, this has carried over to my choices in healthy snacking.  While my fridge has the usual suspects of apples, oranges, Greek yogurt, some carrot and celery sticks, and my cupboards are stocked with raw almonds, dried cranberries and rice crackers, I can’t help but want to utter, “I have nothing to eattttttt…!”  Enter Megafruit™.

Just when I was about to reluctantly eat yet another baby carrot, the samples from Megafruit™ arrived at my door.  They came in an unassuming little brown cardboard box, but when I opened it, I was pleasantly surprised.  My samples not only came in this vibrant and adorable packaging, but they were  safely nestled in a Megafruit™-branded wooden crate.  I’m a sucker for presentation and first impressions; this knocked my socks off!  Similar to how one would bring home fresh produce from a farm or farmers market, my Megafruit™ arrived as if it were handpicked.  Plus, I can only imagine the ways I can reuse my nifty new crate (Healthy Chow’s gotta lotta schiz that needs to be organized, if you know what I mean!).

Just a plain lil’ box…

Bam!  So surprisingly cute!

According to their website, “Megafruit™ is the next generation of Superfruits; products that have exceptional nutrient and antioxidant qualities whose benefits are not yet widely known.”  My samples of Megafruit™ came in 3 different flavors (the company’s initial product offering): mangosteen, baby pineapple and lychee.  While I’ve heard of these fruits, I must admit that I had no idea about their nutritional benefits.  Here are some of my favorite facts on each fruit:

Ever seen a mangosteen?

Mangosteen

• Called the queen of fruits
• Has been called the most delicious fruit in the world
• High level of Xanthones – considered to be the most powerful of all antioxidants

Oooh, baby!

Baby Pineapple

• Contains a myriad of beneficial minerals including:
  • Micronutrients may protect against cancer and break up blood clots
  • Bromelins that may block reduces swelling related to arthritis, sore throat, sinusitis
  • Manganese, aiding the healthy growth of tissue and bones
  • Fiber that will help in digestion and stimulate kidneys and aid in flushing toxins from the body

Lovely lychee

Lychee

• Has been claimed to be the fruit the Tang Dynasty Emperor used to woo his loved one, making it a fruit synonymous with love and romance
• Just 9 lychees or a handful of the fruit meets an adult’s recommended daily requirement of Vitamin C (contains 72mg per 100 grams)
• Contains flavonoids which have proven to be effective against the growth of cancer cells

Now that’s some fruit with some mega power!  And guess what?  The taste isn’t what I would call weak either.  Even though Megafruit™ doesn’t contain any sugar, preservatives or additives, it doesn’t mean this dried fruit is lacking in flavor.  In fact, they are delicious!  I’ve never tried a mangosteen before, so I had no idea what to expect.  The mangosteen was the first fruit I tried, and while the flavor is subtle, it is unique and has an indescribable exotic taste (sweet, yet a tad sour at the same time) that had me almost inhaling the entire bag in one sitting.  The baby pineapple is naturally sweet, not artificial tasting like some dried pineapple can taste.  Because the baby pineapple comes in large pieces, they were fun to chew and had a great texture.  This is Patrick’s favorite.  My favorite, hands down, is the lychee.  If you’ve never had lychee, please do yourself a favor and try this, NOW!  My grandmother used to serve us lychee after dinner over a bowl of ice water.  She would peel the fruit and stick toothpicks in them and I swear, I would eat at least 20 at a time.  I haven’t had lychee in years, so for both nostalgic and taste reasons, the lychee is number one for me.  A fresh lychee is crunchy like a grape, but has a much more fragrant and sweet taste.  Megafruit™’s version magically captured a fresh lychee’s essence.

If you can’t already tell, I’m a mega fan of Megafruit™.  For me, there is nothing like a piece of fresh fruit.  However, fresh fruit such as bananas, pears, grapes, etc., can get a bit mundane.  But what do you do when the not-so-common fruit that you do crave, and that tickles your palate is no where to be found?  The answer is in these little goodies that graced my taste buds the other day.  Not only are the flavors of Megafruit™ probably like nothing you’ve ever tasted, but they can provide you with health benefits like nothing you’ve ever known.  Similar to the dried fruit snack I reviewed in this post, Megafruit™ is a wholesome snack that is just the fruit in its most natural form.  There aren’t any fake colors or enhanced flavorings added to the dried fruit to make it appear more appealing.  The Megafruit™ pieces are rustic in appearance, and simply delectable.

The Terrific Trio…

If you’re looking for a quick snack that’s easily portable, healthy and unique, I highly recommend Megafruit™ (available soon on Amazon).  Reach for it the next time you’re in need of a nutritious boost, whether it be sitting at your desk at the office, after a good butt-kicking workout or when you’re on your 5th hour of running errands.  Or, maybe you can snack on a handful as you’re unenthusiastically trying to pick out Monday morning’s outfit.

Some creations I made with my Megafruit™:

Piña Colada Oatmeal – Megafruit™ baby pineapple, dried coconut and nonfat ricotta cheese

Tropical Lychee Orange Delight – Megafruit™ lychee, orange sherbet, Kashi Go Lean cereal and dark chocolate cocoa roast almonds

***If you’d like to win some of your own Megafruit™, not to mention a $100 gift card to Lululemon, check out the fantastic giveaway that Megafruit™ is having here!***

If you had to pick one, what would it be – fruits or vegetables?  What do you do to get out of a ‘wardrobe rut’? How about a ‘food rut’?

Namasté,
Nicole

OK, remember my previous post about Swiss chard?  I talked about how there all these ’super’ foods  in this world and how excited I am knowing there seems to be an endless supply of them to try.  While my ‘vegetable valedictorian’ definitely made me giddy, there is a particular food out there that did not.  I keep reading about how rich in vitamins (vitamin D, b12 and calcium) and minerals this food is, how it’s a good source of  protein, how it’s high in omega-3 fatty acids and low in contaminants such as mercury.  Even with all these benefits surrounding this food, I was still hesitant.  I’m not sure why I was so adverse to giving this a try?  There was just something that turned me off.  This vitamin-rich food seems to get a bad rap and unfortunately, I was falling victim to the rumors.  But because this is supposed to be a healthy lifestyle blog and I do call myself Healthy Chow, I knew I had to be open-minded.  I knew I just had to give sardines a try.

Surprise Me Sardine Avocado Pizza
Adapted from Food Network

Serves 1

• 1 3.75 oz. can of sardines packed in spring water (I used Brunswick brand)
• 1 TSP of olive oil
• 1/2 TBSP of red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup of fresh chopped parsley, plus a sprinkle more for garnish
• 1/2 TBSP of lemon juice
• 1/4 TSP of lemon zest
• few dashes of cracked black pepper
• 1 pita pocket (I used Joseph’s Flax, Oat Bran & Whole Wheat Flour Pita)
• 1/2 avocado
• 1/4 cup of cannellini beans (drained and rinsed) (not shown)

1) Open your can of sardines and drain the liquid into a bowl.

Aren’t they cute?

The sardine juice

2) Add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, 1/4 cup of chopped parsley, lemon juice, lemon zest and black pepper to your bowl with the liquid.  Give it all a good stir.  Then, add the sardines and let everything sit together at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

Makin’ sardine dressing…

Marinating…

3) Toast your pita in your broiler, toaster oven or griddler (that’s what I used) until it is lightly toasted.

4) Mash your avocado half in its shell.  Spread the avocado mash onto your pita.

Mashed up!

The first layer…

5) Mash your sardine mixture together in the bowl until it is well-blended.  Spread the mixture over the avocado mash.

Hmmm, so good!

6) Top your sardine mash with the cannellini beans and garnish with the remaining chopped parsley and cracked black pepper.

Yummy!

7) Eat it like a pizza or fold it in half and eat it like a sandwich!  Either way, it’s delicious!

A slice of heaven…

Surprise, surprise!  I was shocked to find that I loved the taste of the sardines!  They were nothing like I had imagined.  I always pictured sardines as being super salty, slimy and leather-y in texture.  In other words, I didn’t think too highly of these canned wonders.  Plus, when you open a can of sardines, it’s not necessarily the most breathtaking sight.  But their taste more than makes up for their appearance.  And, the fact that these little guys are packed (lame pun intended) with all things healthy makes sardines a must!

Go ahead, take a bite!

The flavor of this recipe was quite light and refreshing.  I almost felt as if I was lying poolside and it was 90 degrees with the sun shining brightly on me as I was eating this dish.  The fresh parsley, lemon juice and lemon zest gave this meal a punch of vibrancy and a relaxing spa-like feel.  I felt as if I was eating a very grown-up and healthified tuna sandwich, minus the fat from the usual mayonnaise and the high level of mercury often found in canned white albacore tuna.  While Alton Brown had originally paired the sardine-avocado mixture with a thick piece of sourdough bread, I lightened my version up a bit with a pita pocket.  I wanted my version to be more pizza-like, rather than sandwich-like.  When I can eat my meal with a fork and knife, versus just using my hands, it slows me down and I can savor my food longer (and no, I don’t pull a Costanza and eat a Snickers bar with a fork and knife, too!).

Not only was this recipe healthy, it was also very filling.  The protein from the sardines combined with the cannellini beans kept me full for hours.  And eating a half of an avocado seems to always do the trick, too.  If you can’t already tell, I was quite impressed by this glorious meal.  The natural flavors from the sardines, avocado, cannellini beans, lemon and parsley blended together to create a harmonious delight.  This recipe didn’t require much seasoning nor extras such as cheese or breading in order for it to be palatable, it tasted good because all the ingredients were good for me.  Don’t get me wrong, a plate of cheese-covered nachos can taste pretty good, too, but there’s just something about eating food that you know is healthy for you.  And there isn’t anything fishy about that!

Did your mom or dad give you a card on Valentine’s Day when you were young?  My mother used to always give us cards and little gifts.  I always felt loved no matter what.  Do you have any fun memories of Valentine’s Day?

Namasté,
Nicole

Are there any foods out there that you know are good for you, but you just haven’t had the chance to try or eat?  Well, for me, that list is pretty long.  Ever since I started reading blogs and writing one of my own, I’ve come to the realization that I’ll never be able to run out of healthy foods to eat.  I love this fact!  When I’m in the produce aisle at the grocery store, I take my time wandering around because I enjoy looking at all the new items just waiting for me to select them.   I get so excited about trying new foods, and I get even more pumped when I discover that I love the new foods and can then incorporate them into my repertoire.  Is Healthy Chow a foodie dork, or what?!

Image Credit – sodahead.com

One of my most recent loves is Swiss chard.  I’ve seen this leafy green on more blogs and websites than the cast of The Jersey Shore and I finally decided to give it a shot.  Plus, Swiss chard is packed with vitamins (vitamins A, C, E and K, magnesium, iron and potassium to name a few) and nutrients.  It’s high in antioxidants, promotes cardiovascular health and helps your body produce energy.  But to be perfectly honest, my grandmother used to cook Swiss chard quite a lot when I was a child.  Thus, this technically wasn’t a brand new food for me.  However, being that I haven’t eaten Swiss chard in decades and I didn’t remember what it tasted like, I considered it uncharted territory.  While I was anxious to try this ‘vegetable valedictorian’, I’ll have to admit that a bunch of it sat in my fridge for more than a week.  I’m not quite sure why?  I guess I just wanted to find the ‘perfect’ recipe for my veggie.  But just what is ‘perfect’?  I had no clue (can you imagine?!).  But because I didn’t want my ‘leafy green‘ to turn into a ‘leafy brown‘, I knew I had to execute, and I had to execute fast.    That said, I decided to combine the new with one of my old favorites.  I figured if I could spruce up an oldie and give it a boost in nutritional value, I couldn’t lose (or miss).

Talk about leafy and green!

Can’t Miss Swiss Chard & Bean Pasta
Serves 4

• 4 – 5 oz. of whole wheat pasta (I used a mixture of angel hair and rigatoni)
• 1 bunch of Swiss chard, rinsed and chopped into bite-sized pieces*
• 1 cup of frozen cubed butternut squash
• 1 TSP of minced garlic
• few dashes of garlic powder
• 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water (you probably won’t need all of this)
• 1 TBSP of olive oil
• 1/2 cup of cooked cannellini beans (I used canned - rinsed and drained)
• 1/2 TSP of red pepper flakes (you can use more or less based on your preference)
• few dashes of parmesan cheese (grated, shredded, whichever you have on hand)
• s&p

1) Begin cooking your pasta according to the directions.  You’ll want to cook it al dente.

2) Add your butternut squash to the boiling pasta pot about two minutes before your pasta is done cooking.  Make sure to reserve about about a 1/2 cup of the pasta water.   Drain and rinse.

It kinda looks like chunks of mango floating in my pasta!

3) While your pasta is cooking, your can begin cooking your Swiss chard.  In a large skillet, add about an inch of water and heat on high.  When the water comes to a boil, add your Swiss chard.  Turn down your heat to medium and place a lid on your skillet.  Let your Swiss chard steam for about 7-10 minutes, or until the steams and leaves have softened.

Time for a steam bath…

*To chop Swiss chard, line up all the stems and cut off about 1/2 inch from the bottom.  You want to remove any of the dried out and brown edges.  While holding the base of the stem with one hand (making a fist), use your other hand to rip the leaves off of the stem by quickly running your hand over the leaves.  They should come off pretty easily.  Then, chop the leaves and stems into bite-sized pieces.

4) When your Swiss chard is finished steaming, drain out most of the water.  Add the garlic and garlic powder to the skillet and give it a good stir.

Steamed with minced garlic…

5) Add your cooked pasta and butternut squash to the skillet.  Add your olive oil and stir to blend everything together.  If the pasta is a bit dry, add some of your reserved pasta water to the skillet.  I would add about 1/4 cup first, and then add more if necessary.

6) Add your cannellini beans, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.  Gently mix everything together.  Add more seasoning to taste.

There’s a whole lotta everything in this recipe!

Makin’ it a little spicy!

7) Once everything is well-blended and warm, plate it and top with parmesan cheese.  Enjoy!

Loving all the flavors and colors!

So good and so good for you!

I don’t know about you, but I can’t not like pasta.  I <3 all carbs and pasta may just be on the top of that list.  But, one serving of pasta (about 2/3 of a cup dry) just doesn’t fill this hungry Healthy Chow.  I could honestly eat a pound of pasta in one sitting.  But we all know that that isn’t the healthiest thing to do.  By bulking up my pasta dishes with tons of vegetables, beans and other forms of protein, I can trick myself into getting full and being satisfied with only one serving of my favorite carb delight.  This recipe definitely achieved that goal.  My stomach was happy, as well as my taste buds.  The Swiss chard was delicious!  Swiss chard has a mildly bitter and salty taste, but it’s not one that’s offensive.  In fact, I liked it because this flavor was so unique.  The butternut squash gave this dish a subtle sweetness, while the buttery tasting cannellini beans gave this dish some needed depth.  And obviously, when you top anything (especially a carb) with parmesan cheese, food goes from tasting fine to fantastic!

Looks like a good bite to me!

I’m so glad that I finally tried Swiss chard.  What was I waiting for? It was so simple to make and made me happy knowing I was cooking and enjoying such a healthy food.  While this vegetable tasted great in my pasta, I know I would like it just as much steamed as a side.  Similar to spinach, Swiss chard doesn’t require much seasoning or spice in order for it to taste good (IMHO).  I even sampled a few pieces while it was raw, and loved it.  Now I can understand why this green has been all the rage.  It’s nutritious, delicious, easy to prepare and won’t be chard on your wallet.  Hahaha!  In fact, this vegetable is so wonderful that I not only give it a thumbs up, but it might just deserve a fist pump!

This weekend, I’m attending a food photography seminar (organized by the wonderful Kerstin from Cake, Batter and Bowl) along with some other local food bloggers.  I’m so excited!  We were told to bring any item of food that we’re having issues photographing.  I’m not quite sure what to bring?  Is there anything you have trouble photographing?

***Would you like to win a $200 Visa Giftcard?  Check out Cheat Day News and Reviews to find out how!***

Namasté,
Nicole