Two of the magazines that I have subscriptions to are Clean Eating magazine and Oxygen magazine (I also have a subscription to People StyleWatch… you know to cover my bases of food, fitness, and clothing).
I almost always get both Clean Eating magazine and Oxygen magazine on the same day, which is fine except I never know what one to start reading first! I’m telling you, the struggle is real (does this warrant a #thestruggleisreal ?!?).
Both magazines have monthly articles written by Tosca Reno. My trainer Jodi introduced me to Tosca around 2011 or so when I first started bootcamps with her. She suggested to all her groups that we read Tosca’s book “The Eat Clean Diet”. Instead of buying it I borrowed it from our public library (I love getting books from the library by the way…. maybe because my mom is a librarian, maybe because it is a great service, but most likely because you don’t have to buy 100 books to only read once and I’m a cheap-ass).
I seriously love the book. In fact, highly recommend it! I honestly think that is what really made me start thinking about the whole clean-eating thing. I’ve been into healthy eating since the latter part of high school, but not as into clean-eating until I read her book.
Not only does the book cover clean eating, but it also explains Tosca’s background. At 40 years old she was overweight and extremely unhappy with her marriage and how her life was going. She got divorced and decided to take control of her health. She lost a ton of weight and, ten years later, is now a fitness and nutrition guru! She has published several books and, as mentioned previously, writes columns for both Oxygen magazine (whose advisory board she sits on) and Clean Eating magazine. She’s amazing.
Also, thanks Jodi for pointing her out to me! She is great inspiration.
One of her more recent columns for Clean Eating magazine was on the benefits is hot peppers called The Healing Properties of Hot Peppers.
The article explains how peppers have a natural defense system because of the intense flavor and heat. The molecule that contributes the most heat is called capsaicin, which is measured in Scoville units and can range from as mild as zero (sweet bell peppers) to as high as two million (Carolina Reaper varieties).
What is interesting is that the capsaicin drives away pests and invasive organisms, yet provides nutritional value for humans. Weird, right? We actually get to benefit from their high amounts of vitamin A and beta-carotene.
So what exactly does the some of the research studies suggest? Capsaicin might (key word might):
- help ease pain
- help lower blood pressure
- keep the heart and brain protected
- initiate the release of endorphins during training
- have chemotherapeutic effects
- help kill off cancer cells
Do you like spicy foods?
Based on this article – hopefully you do! What do you have to lose?
One of my mom’s favorite appetizers is some type of spicy jam over cream cheese served with crackers or veggies, etc. Maybe it is because it is one of the easiest appetizers to prepare or maybe it is because it is a delicious combination. Who cares. I like both reasons!
One tip for preparing this recipe: wear gloves! Donny & I do a lot of catering events so we have a plethora of latex gloves around the house to take if need be and also to food prep at the house. If you do not have any gloves at home, then I would suggest buying some to have on hand. They are pretty inexpensive and you can find them at grocery stores or other stores like Walgreens and Walmart.
Be very careful when handling hot peppers. Do not rub your eyes. Clean all cooking surfaces very well. Also clean all utensils and equipment well before re-using. The heat of the peppers and seeds can cause a lot of problems.
This recipe calls for habanero peppers, but same goes for other peppers including jalapenos. By the way, according to Scoville ratings habanero peppers rate at 350,000 and jalapenos are anywhere between 2,500-8,000. Big difference.
This recipe is almost identical to the Grape Chia Jam recipe up on the blog. The only difference is the addition of peppers.
- 12 oz raspberries
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 medium green bell pepper, stems and seeds removed
- 3 habanero peppers, stems and seeds removed
- 2 Tbsp agave nectar
- 3 Tbsp chia seeds
- In a small saucepan over high heat, bring the water and raspberries to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer.
- While the raspberries cook, add the bell pepper and habanero peppers to a blender or food processor. Process until roughly chopped. Add peppers to the saucepan. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add agave and pour the contents into a blender. Puree until smooth. Pour contents back into saucepan. Add chia seeds and stir until well combined.
- Transfer to a mason jar or other container and allow to cool. Keep refrigerated for up to four weeks.
- Be sure to wear gloves when dealing with hot peppers and clean all equipment and working surfaces thoroughly afterwards.
- For a smooth texture, add the chia before blending or use ground chia.
- For a more mild jam, use 1-2 habanero peppers. For a very hot jam, use 4+ habanero peppers.
