Butternut Squash Mini-Pizzas

Author: Edible Harmony

Cuisine: Paleo

Recipe type: Appetizer

Serves: 4-8

Prep time:  10 mins

Cook time:  20 mins

Total time:  30 mins

Ingredients

• 1 medium butternut squash, choose one with a wide and long neck, as the round and bulging side is hollow and cannot be sliced into rounds
• 6-8 ounces of dairy-free pesto ( See recipe below)
• 2 sliced Roma tomatoes
• 4-6 ounces of cooked nitrate free sausage or grilled veggies

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Peel the squash ( I use a potato peeler) and slice the top part into ¼ inch thick rounds.
3. Arrange rounds on a greased or parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.
4. Bake for 15 minutes.
5. Spread the pesto sauce over each round.
6. Add toppings and bake until squash is soft.

Food is fuel.....

An Apple a Day......

The Amazing Health Benefits Of Sleeping

Wake Up to the Benefits of Power Napping – Boost Clarity, Happiness and Cardiovascular Health

Linked with clarity, increased performance, memory, mood and even heart health, naps are an economical (and fun) way to boost mental and physical health. Many companies are now sanctioning office nap times to increase productivity and morale. By following a few simple steps, a blissful catnap can become a happy and healthful habit.

Guilt-free napping
Seeking an excuse to grab a bit of shut-eye? Take a look at the following benefits:

Cardiovascular Heath

Greek researchers found that men who took a 30 minute nap at least three times a week lowered their risk of dying from a heart attack by 37 percent. Factors such as smoking, diet and activity level were included in the study.

Healthy Weight Management

When energy naturally drops in the afternoon, coffee and sugar tend to be the usual stimulants of choice. But afternoon sleepiness is a biological rhythm related to a slight decrease in body temperature — nature is telling us that it wants us to take a nap. By attempting to ward off drowsiness with caffeine and sugary snacks, biorhythm is disrupted, extra calories are consumed and a rollercoaster ride of energy spikes and crashes begins. This vicious cycle contributes to unwanted extra pounds.

Alertness, Improved Mood and Performance

A mid-afternoon nap can help with depression, dullness and lack of clarity — all of which can hinder physical and mental performance. As seen in the Harvard Health Letter, a New Zealand study found that “air traffic controllers working the night shift scored better on tests of alertness and performance if they took advantage of a planned nap period of 40 minutes.”

According to Sara Mednick, PhD, sleep medicine researcher and author of Take a nap! Change Your Life, a nap will also:

- Reverse aging
- Strengthen the sex drive
- Accelerate the ability to perform motor tasks
- Enhance how the body utilizes carbs
- Minimize stress hormones
- Alleviate migraines
- Reduce brain chatter before nighttime sleep

Napping basics
A few quick tips to get the most out of a nap:

- Try to keep naps under 45 minutes to avoid grogginess
- Naps are best taken between 1:00 and 3:00 PM
- 30 minute naps improve memory and physical health
- 20 minute naps are revitalizing and help to sharpen the senses
- 10 minute naps help to uplift mood and fend-off afternoon energy slumps

Read more: http://wakeup-world.com/2013/01/01/wake-up-to-the-benefits-of-power-napping-boost-clarity-happiness-and-cardiovascular-health-with-this-one-daily-habit/

Healthy Habits.....

we live in s strange world.....

Salad of Prickly Pears, Feta and Watercress

Serves 6 as a starter

• 6 large, ripe prickly pears, chilled overnight
• 2 ‘wheels’ (about 140 g) creamy feta cheese, cubed
• a small bunch of fresh watercress, leaves picked
• 1 tsp (5 ml) dried red chilli flakes, or more, to taste
• salt and milled black pepper
• a little extra-virgin olive oil
• fresh lemon juice

First peel the cold pears. Cut about 5 mm off the top and bottom of each pear, using a kitchen cloth or a rubber glove to grasp the pear while you do so. Place a pear, upright, on a chopping board. Push the tines of a fork into the top of the pear to hold it fast. Now, using the tip of a sharp paring knife, make four vertical cuts, about 3mm deep, into the skin of the pear, scoring from top to bottom. Use the fork to peel away the skin in sections; it will come away easily if the pears are ripe. Cut the pear in half vertically and slice into thick half-moons. Repeat with the remaining pears.
Put the pears in a bowl and add the feta, watercress and chilli flakes. Season with salt and pepper (but go easy on the salt, as the feta is already quite salty). Toss all the ingredients gently together. Pile the mixture onto a platter (or onto individual plates) and drizzle with a little olive oil and a generous spritz of lemon juice. Serve immediately.
 This recipe was originally published on Scrumptious SA.