5 Recipes for Your Summer Zucchini + Why It’s So Versatile and Nutritious

'By August, like many other gardeners, I’m loaded down with zucchini, and so are all my gardener friends. It’s just so easy to grow, and luckily it’s very versatile.

'There are several kinds of summer squash, but most common are zucchini and yellow squash. All share some healthy qualities. They’re a good source of fiber, vitamin C and carotenoids, trace minerals and potassium. They’re low in fat and calories, and can fill you up nicely. Summer squash can be used in everything from salads to cakes.'


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The Capsaicin Effect: Make Your Own Homemade Hot Sauce

Some Like it Hot!

'One of the most popular misconceptions about spicy over-indulgence is that too much heat can cause stomach ulcers. However, Gina Mohammed, Ph.D. says in her article A Hot And Spicy Introduction to Peppers that the opposite is actually true. Capsaicin fights ulcer-causing bacteria and has plenty of other health benefits well worth the burn, including increased circulation and metabolism, cancer fighting antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.

The most damaging aspect of hot sauce is probably the additives, such as preservatives and sugars, used in store-bought brands. So if you’re a hot sauce connoisseur, it might be a good idea to switch up your routine and make some healthier sauce of your own.'

Photo by barcoder96/Courtesy Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/leegillen/

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Must Read:

Amazing Benefits of Dried Chile Peppers
Hot Sauce and Chile Pepper Facts
Dr. Perricone's No. 7 Superfood: Hot Peppers

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Autumny Apple Cranberry Ginger Chutney Recipe

Here's Andrea's recipe slightly modified by Health Maven. We always recommend using organic ingredients.

Ingredients

1 (10 to 16-ounce) bag fresh or frozen whole cranberries,
2 organic, crisp sweet red apples, peeled, cored and sliced 1-inch thick
2-inch piece ginger, peeled and finely grated
1/2 cup raw apple cider vinegar
1 cup granulated sugar (or preferably use a healthier sugar substitute like sucanat)

1 cup water

Directions

Add ingredients to a large pot and simmer for about 30 minutes. The mixture will soften, reduce and thicken. Cool completely before serving. Keep in the refrigerator. Makes about 4 cups of chutney.
That's it!

NOTE: Substituting Sucanat for Sugar

'Sucanat is our favorite natural sugar substitute.

Sucanat and refined white sugar start as the same product, sugar cane, which is high in many vitamins and minerals. The refining process removes all measurable traces of those vitamins and minerals from white sugar, leaving us with a nutritionally devoid product whose sole purpose is to be sweet.

Sucanat, on the other hand, is not refined. Sugar cane juice is dried until it crystallizes. Sucanat retains the vitamins and minerals of the original sugar cane, and is in a far more natural form than refined sugar.

Sucanat looks and smells a bit like brown sugar. To the taste, though, it's a great substitute for refined white sugar. It is sweeter than refined white sugar, though, so cut the amount down by about one-third in your recipes. So if a recipe calls for a cup of sugar, only use two-thirds cup of sucanat.

We usually cut the sugar in recipes way down, though, because most recipes ask for way too much sugar.'

Information about healthier sugar substitutes HERE

Original Recipe from andreasrecipe.com

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