Maple Fruit Compote with Honey-Ginger Toasted Nuts

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
2-3 apples
2-3 peaches or pears
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 cup raisins
juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup walnuts or nuts of your choice
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
2 tablespoons honey
Directions:
1. Wash, core and chop fruit into slices or chunks.
2. Place in a large saucepan with 1/3 cup of water. Add the maple syrup and raisins.
3. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
4. Add lemon juice and cinnamon. Cook for another 10 minutes, until soft.
5. While fruit is cooking, place chopped nuts in a skillet over medium heat and toast, stirring often, for 5
minutes.
6. Drizzle honey over the nuts and add ginger, but keep stirring since the honey can easily burn.
7. Top warm fruit with toasted nuts and enjoy!

Natural Sweeteners

Who among us doesn’t love sweets? The sweet flavor releases serotonin in our brains, the chemical responsible for our sense of well-being and contentment. But when it comes to sweeteners, not all are created equal. There are side effects and health risks from refined sweeteners like white table sugar and high-fructose corn syrup, and from artificial sweeteners like NutraSweet, saccharin and Splenda. Since refined sweeteners have been stripped of vitamins, minerals and fiber, they can spike blood sugar, which can often lead to cravings and mood and energy fluctuations. Instead, using naturally and minimally processed sweeteners can reduce cravings for sugary things.
Here are a few natural sweeteners to substitute in drinks, food and baking. Since they are all approximately 1.5 times sweeter than refined sugar, you can use less. You can find them in most supermarkets or natural food stores. When replacing sugar with liquid sweeteners in a recipe, reduce the amounts of other liquids.
Raw Honey
Everyone seems to love honey, one of the oldest natural sweeteners on the market. Honey will have a different flavor depending on the plant source. Some are very dark and intensely flavored. Wherever possible, choose raw honey, as it is unrefined and contains small amounts of enzymes, minerals and vitamins.
Agave Nectar
Agave is made through the extraction and purification of the juice of the agave cactus. It does not stimulate insulin secretion as other sugars do, so it does not create a "sugar rush." It has a delightfully light and mild flavor.
Maple Syrup
Maple syrup is the concentrated extract of the sap of maple trees. It adds a rich, deep flavor to foods and drinks. Make sure to look for 100% pure maple syrup, not maple-flavored corn syrup. As with all sweeteners, organic varieties are best.

Adapted from "The Cane Mutiny," New Age Magazine, March/April 1999.

Top 10 Fat Burning Super Foods

Adding these foods to you grocery list will actually help you LOSE weight and keep it off. 1. eggs Because of the fat and protein content found in eggs gives a feeling of being full that lasts throughout the morning leading to a lower calorie intake the rest of the day. Keep the yolks in, they are loaded with vitamin A, D & E, essential fat soluble nutrients that are lacking in many many American diets. My go to breakfast: 2 eggs over easy, Ezekiel bread and fresh berries. 2. Grapefruit Grapefruits have been one of my favorites fruits since I was a kid growing up in Florida. I used to pick them right off the tree, add salt and enjoy. This fruit is so amazing that there is even a diet named after it. Grapefruit is also great for getting rid of bloat. Fitness competitors use it all the time to get rid of any excess water that they may be holding on to. Beet Salad: I found this recipe in Runner's Magazine and make it all the time. Toss with two cups spinach, one bunch chopped baby beets, a quarter cup toasted pine nuts, a quarter cup low-fat feta cheese crumbles and one tablespoon red wine vinaigrette. 3. Avocado: Avocados are loaded with fat but the healthy kind. Studies show that people who Avocado is added in place of a carbohydrate will actually lose weight because they feel more satisfied at the end of each meal. My favorite way to eat it is in place of mayonnaise or butter in any recipe, especially Tuna fish. Tuna with avocado: 1 can tuna, 1/2 avocado, 1 diced Roma tomato, diced onion, lemon juice and dash of garlic powder. 4. Spinach Both low calorie and nutrient dense. Spinach is a clean eater's best friend. Loaded with fiber it binds to LDL and helps remove it from your system. Always buy this one organic. Sauteed Spinach: 2 c Spinach, minced garlic, ginger, and onions sauteed in EVOO. 5. Ginger I live off ginger. I eat it constantly throughout the day. It is often service with Sushi because it helps break down food after meals as well as settle your stomach. It also increases lactic acid which promotes the body's natural HGH which increases the amount of body fat released from storage. I love candied ginger and adding to marinades for chicken and steak. 6. Green Tea Another one we hear about all the time. While caffeine is attributed to fat burning Green Tea also is loaded with anti-oxidants as well as EGCG. EGCG is a phytochemical that increases the metabolism and burns fat. Aim to drink 3 cups of green tea spread throughout the day. 7. Tofu Soy has gotten such a bad rap lately. Which is scaring people away from one of the best meat alternatives. Tofu contains genistein which decreases appetite and encourages belly fat loss. When shopping for any soy product shop for Non-GMO soy. Add to soups or try a warm tofu as a side dish. I like to lightly brown mine in a saute pan with EVOO and enjoy with a touch of low sodium soy sauce. 8. Pomegranate Another antioxidant super food. This fruit protects nitric oxide with increases metabolism. Add to any dish. I add it to my oatmeal, salads, warm grains and more. 9. Salmon Another fatty food that is a fat burner. Loaded with Omega-3s which are important for cardio vascular health and cholesterol. Make sure to always chose Wild Caught over farm raised. And be aware of grocery stores that add pink dies to make it more appealing. Grill with Ginger and Pomegranate and you have yourself a fat burning meal. 10. Cayenne Pepper Cayenne Pepper contains capsaicin which causes your body to heat up. When your body heats up it burns more calories. I use this spice on everything, but I also love heat in my foods.