Purple Potatoes: 5 Surprising Benefits

The other day I ran into some purple potatoes for the first time and were they absolutely scrumptious… since then I’ve been totally hooked. So that got me curious…are they actually better for me than white and yellow potatoes? Come to find out …. yeah!!! They are, here are 5 surprising Benefits about eating purple potatoes, besides the fact they look super cool.

😍 Purple potatoes are packed with antioxidants, have a blueish black skin and stay brilliantly purple after cooking, and have more POTASSIUM than bananas.
👉 Purple is better for BLOOD SUGAR with a Glycemic Index of 77 versus yellow potatoes has a GI of 81, and white potatoes have a GI of 93. Because of their high polyphenol count, it may reduce the absorption of carbs into your system.
💖 Purple potatoes have 3x the ANTIOXIDANT (anthocyanins) activity than white and yellow potatoes. Which can help reduce the risk of heart disease and some cancers.
👀 May reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke and high blood pressure as the polyphenols and antioxidants found in purple potatoes helps relax the arterial blood vessels.
✨ Purple potatoes like all potatoes contain resistant starch. This start is resistant to digestion doesn’t go into the bloodstream the way regular starch does. And your gut biotics love this kind of starch to keep you healthy.

I love them steamed…Drizzled with a little Original Canary Island Garlic Herb Olive Oils, and I even make extra to keep in the fridge to have as a snack during the day.
How do you eat your Purple Potatoes?

p.s Here’s another way we can help you.🎅Grab a 6 pack of Canary Island Garlic Herb Olive oil and get $10 FLAT RATE shippingfor all your Holiday Givingwww.VigoaCuisine.com

#Nubsnobski #Harborspringsmi #wyanndottartfestival #frankenmuthmi #baycityywcaartfestival #trentonartfestival #trentonmi #stjosephmi #eatfresh #tomatoes #heirloomtomatoes #eatresheatlocal #apartyinmypantry #saladrecipe #saladsofinstagram #oilandvinegar #easyrecipes #summereats #salads #freshfood #freshrecipes #recipeshare #recipeoftheday #longevity #drgundry #plantparadox #wednesdaywisdom✨ #sarasota #sarasotafoodie #sarasota_florida

After Gallbladder Surgery, Can I Still Eat Fat?

“Can I still eat fat after I have my gallbladder removed?” or “I can’t have olive oil because I don’t have a gallbladder.” These are just a couple of questions we have heard when it comes to eating fat and not having a gallbladder.

So what’s the answer? Yes and No. Geez Louise…can’t anything be simple now days 😉

Here’s the deal. 20% of people over 65 and 10% of all adults have gallstones. Just because you have gallstones that don’t mean you’ll have to have gallbladder removal surgery,  many people don’t even realize they have them. They aren’t a problem for everyone. But, over half a million people in the U.S to end up having their gallbladders removed each year. And, because the gallbladder is involved in helping us digest our food, many people are under the impression they can’t eat fat anymore.

Actually, most people think that after they have their gallbladder removed they can’t eat any kind of fat… period.

Why do they think that?

Because the last time they went out to eat at a restaurant and had some cheese and pepperoni pizza or went out for fettuccine alfredo…they spent more time in the bathroom than they did at the table!

Here’s the thing.

The gallbladder collects the bile that is produced by the liver. Then it holds the bile there and concentrates it until you eat something fatty and need it to help with digestion. So when you eat a super heavy meal with damaged oils like canola, soybean oils that are usually used with restaurant type meals containing saturated and trans fats, your bile can break it up because it’s been concentrated in your gallbladder.

But… If you no longer have a gallbladder, your liver still secretes the bile it just doesn’t have the gallbladder to send it to for storage and concentration. So when you eat a heavy meal, and one that is full of processed fats, the “diluted” version of bile will have a harder time digesting all the fat.

So, what’s the good news? 😃 (there’s gotta be a pony in here somewhere) Well the good news is you can still eat fat. But…(there’s always gotta be a but!) you need to focus on good fats. By good fat I don’t mean mmmh good hamburger and bacon grease fat. I mean healthy monounsaturated fats.

There isn’t a strict diet to follow after gallbladder removal surgery but there are helpful guidelines. The website Healthline has a great article of foods to avoid and include. Here is a short version of that list. You can get the full article with the link below

Heavy Fat and Processed Foods to Avoid

• steak or high-fat cuts of red meat
• beef, whole or ground
• pork
• bacon
• lunch meats, such as bologna and salami
• sausage
• lamb

Dairy products

Try to avoid or limit your consumption of:

• milk, especially whole
• full-fat yogurt
• full-fat cheese
• butter
• lard
• sour cream
• ice cream
• whipped cream
• sauces or gravies made with cream

Processed foods

Processed foods often contain a lot of additional fat and sugar. This makes them last longer, but they’re also hard to digest and don’t offer much nutrition.

Try to stay away from:

• pie
• cake
• cookies
• cinnamon rolls
• sugary cereals
• white or other processed breads
• foods cooked in vegetable or hydrogenated oils

BUT WAIT THERE’S GOOD NEWS…. THERE IS FOOD THAT’S GOING TO AGREE WITH YOU!

• beans
• lentils
• peas
• raw nuts (not roasted in oils), such as almonds, walnuts, and cashews
• raw seeds, such as hemp, chia, and poppy seeds
• sprouted grains, nuts, and seeds
• fruits and vegetables

• chicken breast (remember no fried chicken, sauteeing in a bit of olive oil is easier on digestion)
• turkey
• salmon
• trout
• herring
• white fish like cod and halibut
• legumes
• tofu

Healthy fats

(For the entire list)

All hope is not lost! You can eat lots of good stuff and yes you can even eat olive oil as well as avocado and coconut oil.

You can also have fish oil as well as flaxoil and smaller amounts of olive oil.

These fats tend to agree more than vegetable oils and animal fats. Remember your body will need time to adjust to it’s new way of processing the fat so be patient and don’t overdo. Foods that tend to be naturally lower in fat (3mg and under) tend to be easier to digest.

The nice thing about Canary Island Garlic Herb Olive Oil is that it’s so concentrated with flavor from the Garlic and Herbs and Spices that you need a smaller serving to add all the zippy do da to your dish and still get all the oh yeeeahhh flavor without the work and worry.

Thank you again for all your questions. Keep them coming. If you have a health question we can help with, just leave it in the comments or shoot us a quick email.

Thank you and until next time,

Splash up a storm!

Miriam and Kristi

Miriam@vigoacuisine.com

p.s

Whenever you’re ready here’s two more ways we can help you.

FREE SHIPPING  Grab a 4 pack of Canary Island Garlic Herb Olive Oils on www.vigoacuisine.etsy.com 

or 10.00 Flat Rate Shipping for a 6 pack on www.vigoacuisine.com 

p.p.s

If you are interested in learning more about the health benefits of different foods for different health concerns. Check out our new bundle pack on Etsy, it has our 3rd book There’s No Food in Your Food, a bottle of Canary Island Olive OIl and professional dispenser as well as a starter pack of recipes.

Reducing Heart Disease with Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Good beautiful morning from Sunny Winter Haven Florida. As teaching chefs, many of our students ask questions about extra virgin olive oil and the health benefits associated with daily use, especially for people concerned about heart health. Most people don’t know there are two types of high blood pressure. So, I’d say it’s really good for all of us to keep a close watch over our favorite red ticker 🙂 So  One such concern is the health benefits associated with using olive oil on everything. (Miriam and I always say, “Splash it on Everything.”)

According to studies, Extra Virgin Olive Oil is an excellent fat for daily use. A great story written by the Olive Oil Times says, “After analyzing thirty years of data, the research team concluded that eating more than a half tablespoon of olive oil per day could lower the risk of a heart attack by 20 percent, reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) by 15 percent and lower the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) by 21 percent.

Here’s the thing.

It’s super easy to get loaded up on saturated fats that are hard on the heart. Many pre-made foods are loaded with unhealthy fats. There’s a big difference from the saturated fat you get from a  dinner of grass-fed beef and the saturated fat you get from a hotdog. All processed meats will be much higher in saturated fat than the meat in its original form. For example, a chicken breast vs chicken deli slices.

Here’s the good news! Olive oil is great on everything and full of monounsaturated fat that is super duper for your heart. So here’s to the good news! Grab your grass-fed beef and cook up some burgers and serve on a big salad drizzled with Canary Island Garlic Herb Olive Oil… and you got yourself a lip-smackingly delicious meal.

 

What do you use your Extra Virgin Olive Oil on every day?

Talk soon,

Kristi Linebaugh & Miriam Vigoa

www.vigoacuisine.com

p.s

We are offering Free Shipping of 4 packs of Canary Island Garlic Herb Olive Oils. Every purchase comes with a starter pack of recipes. Free Shipping on 4 packs is on www.vigoacuisine.etsy.com

If you are interested in learning more about fighting inflammation with food, you may enjoy our 3rd book, There’s No Food in Your Food. We now offer it in a starter pack with a dispenser and bottle of Original Canary Island Garlic and Herb Olive Oil.

 

 

 

 

Tacos, Ttttttacos, Tacooooos!!

Tacos are the perfect food. Really, think about it. Easy meal check, weeknight meal check, kid-friendly meal check,  healthy meal check. That ticks all the boxes if you ask me 🙂 With everyone staying home and working and watching kids and dogs and cats and making sure nobody gets within a mile and half of the ranch… it’s all exhausting. I’d say that calls for some quick easy and delish meals.

What do you think?

Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa

Many people think tacos have to be corn tortilla either hard or soft. But sometimes ya just don’t have the corn in the casa 😉 so ya gotta make due. So if all you have is flour tortillas, make this into a taco that is cleverly disguised as a burrito  😉

• 1 1/2 lbs of cod  or other white fish
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 Tablespoons of Original Canary Island Garlic Herb Olive Oil
• 1 lime in wedges
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• red cabbage or romaine
• This picture has scallions but you don’t really need them.

When I make my fish tacos I only use the Canary Island Olive Oil and leave out the paprika but, it’s good either way. This pic also has a bit of cheese on top but if you’re dairy-free like me, just leave it off.

Okay, onward and upward. Heat grill to 375-400 and rub the fish down with the Canary Island Olive Oil and sprinkle on paprika, if you prefer you could use a chili pepper if you really want a zippidy do dah kinda flavor. Grill for 3-5 minutes per side. (May be easier to grill inside of foil to keep all the good juice inside.)  Remove from grill when finished and let sit. Squeeze the lime over the top, usually one wedge lime per piece.

Mango Salsa

This is super easy. I just cut up a mango and dice it up. If you’ve never seen the super-easy way to get the mango out of its skin. You’ll like this video 

I have to admit, I usually have to buy more mango than I’m gonna use, because well, well, because I eat them before I can get them to the taco!! Okay, I said it… so get 3 just in case.

• 1 mango diced
• 1 raw jalapeno diced, wear gloves and take the seeds out (if you don’t have a jalapeno, skip it or add a little pepper flakes
• 1/4 sweet onion diced
• 1 whole Roma tomato diced
• a 3 finger pinch of cilantro chopped
• 2 Tablespoons Hot Canary Island Garlic Herb Olive Oil

Stir and let sit out, if you are eating relatively soon after making salsa, I find it has more flavor when it’s not ice-cold from the fridge.

Take your tortillas and throw them on the warm grill after you’ve cooked your fish, just enough to help them soften a bit. Layer fish on a tortilla, top with mango salsa, and shredded romaine lettuce. If you have a bit of tomato left to add on top with a little drizzle of the Lime Canary Island Olive Oil…. Deelish

Be sure and save me a bite!

Talk soon, Miriam and Kristi

p.s

Remember for a limited time we are Buying Your Shipping on 4 packs of Canary Island Garlic Herb Olive Oil. You can order on Etsy direct http://www.vigoacuisine.etsy.com or call in your order 18632897263.

Splash up a storm!

Strength in times of Change

Good beautiful morning! I am sitting on my porch with a cup of hot tea watching the lawnmower man zip around the yard in his yellow rain jacket. He’s hunched over a little probably to keep the old rain from running down his chin into his shirt and soaking his chest.

As I sit here on the dry porch thinking of all my tasks for the day and watching the “neighborhood” eat her breakfast, it dawned on me.

We are all in the same space experiencing the same moment in time but our experience of this very moment is completely different. I’m sipping hot tea and clicking away in my phone writing to you. The cats happily munching away and the lawnmower man has now zipped on around the corner, not letting a cold rainy day stop him from doing what he needs to do.

Here’s the thing. We’re all in this moment together. Doing what we do. Going about life as usual. Yes the lawnmower man isn’t enjoying his hunkered down cold position and yes he’s probably driving faster than usual and he may even be cussing. Or he may be laughing, there’s no way I can know. Because I’m on the porch with the cat, doing what we do every morning.

Lawnmower man is getting on with business. Even though it’s miserable and raining (quite hard in fact) he hasn’t slowed down. He hasn’t parked under the portico, he isn’t stomping around and pitching a fit. He’s doing like Elvis, Takin Care of Business. That’s my lesson I learned today. We’re all in it together, but for some it’s super uncomfortable, some it’s down right horrifying, some it’s a time of growing and transforming. I choose to grow through this instead of simply go through this. I’m gonna do my best, thank yiu Lawnmower man! Here’s to doing what we do and doing it the best we’ve ever done! Don’t give up, just zip up, put your head down and face that rain! Yes we’re gonna get wet, yes it’s gonna be cold, yes we may even curse a bit, but we’re gonna get it done! Because that’s what we do! We’re in business to serve our customers and bring them value and make their lives easier! So let’s do it!

What’s your lawnmower man inspiration?

#marketing #entrepreneurmindset #digitalmarketer #business #beofservice #lawnmmowermanstory

P.s

Here’s another way we can help you. Whenever youre ready were buying your shipping for you. When you buy a 4 pack of #canaryislandoliveoil on

http://www.vigoacuisine.etsy.com

Bonus+ for a limited time every purchase comes with a starter pack of recipes…fast, easy, delish…just Shake, Splash & Eat!

Finding Meaning in Crisis: And How Not to Throw Yourself a Pity Party

This ain’t my first rodeo, I’ve seen good times and bad times. Or as my Dad would say, “Some days are just gooder than other days.”

I like that thought, there’s a better feeling in those words. That’s what it’s really about, for me. It’s so easy to let ourselves drop off the side of the abyss while idly looking into the darkness. When I spend too much time contemplating the sadness it’s harder and herder to let the spark of creativity ignight new ideas, concepts and strategies for my business and my life.

Yes it’s hard right now, but it’s spelled..
N. O. W not F.O.R.E.V.E.R. that’s a big difference in my mind.

If you are in business for yourself and have heavy on the projections and the planning suddenly all the plans go to zip and the cash flow goes to nada and panic begins to grip your heart and squeeze it till your ears ring….well that’s the time you know you need to step back from the abyss.

Simple solution… but it’s a choice. It’s not a one and done choice it’s a day by day sometimes minute by minute choice.

But here’s the thing.

There’s fear in the abyss but it’s only as scary as you make it. When life comes down to the basic elements, there’s so many more things to be grateful for than to be afraid of.

There’s a new light dawning everyday we are all in it together. We will always have new ideas and solutions as well as opportunities to find meaning in crisis.

I choose to use this time for reflection and redirection. For learning new skills taking some classes and repositioning our business to flurish in the new environment. I also choose to spend time on the phone and facetime with the most important parts of my life. The people whom I love and who love me. I am so grateful to have this time for new connection.

Be safe out there!

What do you choose to be grateful for today?

Kristi Linebaugh

http://www.vigoacuisine.com

3 Easy Things to Take to a Picnic

What can I take to a get together that’s easy to make? A quick recipe is less stressful and usually more delicious than a super time-consuming recipe? I mean if you’re too tired to enjoy the party than slaving over the oven for 6 hours wasn’t worth it 😉

Try out an easy recipe that can be used in multiple ways. These garlicky tomatoes can be served as an appetizer or save some for yourself and in the morning scramble your eggs and top with the goat cheese and the tomatoes… oh yeah!

Marinated Garlicky Tomatoes OMG

So make the tomatoes and serve them on a baguette with either hummus for the dairy free or cream cheese and feta mixed with Canary Island Olive Oil

Next, let’s make an easy pasta salad, everybody loves a great pasta dish. If you can’t have wheat there are all kinds of wheat-free pasta out there nowadays.  Or use those great spiralizers for zucchini and make a salad with only veggies. I love that!

Or go old school for the days you just want to grab a knife and get to work! No extra equipment needed.

I love sauteeing the zucchini and carrots after I’ve cut them like this it’s great for a quick take on pasta. Or make a great shaved zucchini salad and use Splash but don’t slice them thin just use the veggie peeler to make long thin slices.

 

As a main entree, a chicken salad with just chopped chicken and avocado and maybe some olives would be easy to add to the get-together.

If you want more involved here is a traditional chicken salad with mayo and avocado

Till next time, Take good care and stay well. We would love to stay connected via Social Media we can connect on www.facebook.com/vigoacuisine

Miriam and Kristi

p.s

Here’s another way we can help you whenever you’re ready.

Grab a couple bottles of Canary Island Garlic Herb Olive Oil on our Etsy site and save 5.00 when you use the code LOVE2SHOP

www.vigoacuisine.etsy.com

 

What Vegetables are Best in the Summer

I Love Fresh Veggies! Even back in college when we were all eating Ramen noodles, I would love to add fresh broccoli to mine. Hey, you gotta start somewhere right? 😉 There is no better place than your local Farmer’s Market or CSA to grab your fresh local veggies. Right now Miriam and I are up in Michigan doing shows and just picked up a big batch of heirloom beets and boy do they look delish! I’d love to make this super easy beet chip recipe, how fabulous! Or can you imagine Beet Hummus from the Minimalist Baker Website and Avocado (which have been great at ALDI) !!! Hallelujah! I love it…. I think they would both rock with the Splash!

Tomatoes are super fabulish during the Summer, my Mom’s neighbor fills our bellies full with his homemade salsa with his truckloads of tomatoes! We love you, Jerry!! But what’s easier than salsa is a fabulous fresh Pizza! This one is from Damn Delicious and doesn’t it just hurt your feelings, it looks so good!

Or check out the Margherita pizza from The Craving Chronicles (who wouldn’t love that name?) I don’t care what you name your pizza as long as I can have a slice after you make it… I’m happy! Can you imagine some arugula on top, wow wee woo! Greens are great year round but I load up on greens in the Summer for instant energy!

Well till we meet again let these recipes and fabulous pictures keep you busy dreaming up more good things to do with your Canary Island Garlic Herb Olive Oils.

Talk soon,

Miriam and Kristi

p.s

Here’s another way we can help you.

If you are running low on your Splash and you won’t be out at one of our shows in Michigan you can grab a 4 pack with Free Shipping on our Etsy website. www.vigoacuisine.etsy.com

 

How to get more energy naturally

How can I get more energy? I’m tired of energy drinks and they aren’t good for me anyway and you can only drink so much coffee! There are energy pills and potions and then there’s just pushing your way through until you drop in a heap on the couch.

Believe it or not, what you eat really does impact your energy levels, and it all starts in the morning.

Kristi: If I eat a doughnut or pancakes I might as well say… night night buttercup! If I have a bagel with cream cheese I might swing it but I can only eat half at a time.

Miriam: Really the best way to start the day is with a protein a carb and a fruit for fiber. Hows a couple of eggs a little oatmeal and a tangerine or apple sound? I know for me I have to have protein in the A.M to last the day.

Here’s a list of four ways you can have more energy throughout the day.

• Eat at regular times, don’t skip meals, avoid processed carbs & chemical laden foods.
• Control your stress use meditation or breathing exercises to ease your mind
• Lighten your load, share your concerns with a friend then let it go, usually what you worry about never happens, but it does zap your energy worrying about it all day.
• Talk to yourself! Yep talking to yourself in a certain way helps regulate your emotions relieving stress. But there’s a technique!

One of my favorite ways to get more energy naturally is Eating!!! Yeah me!

Natural juice in the blender is much better than a juice which strips the fiber out of the veggies. I love to throw a carrot in the blender with a handful of baby greens and a chunk of ginger and slice of lemon. Instant energy! Skip the store-bought juice as it’s like candy bars in a cup!

Also a nice bit of apple with peanut butter or a handful of walnuts and pecans maybe a bit of blueberries on top of a peanut butter sandwich, and a bit of cheese.

Oh okay, now I’m hungry!

Gotta run,

Till next time, Miriam and Kristi

p.s

Whenever you’re ready here’s another way we can help you.

If you are in Michigan we will be doing shows throughout July here in Michigan and we would love to see you. Let us know where you’re at and we can tell you if we have a live event near you! We will be in Elk Rapids on June 21st for a great show!

P.P.S

If you need more Canary Island Garlic Herb Olive Oil you can grab a 4 pack with Free shipping on www.vigoacuisine.etsy.com.

Need larger orders? Grab a 6pack for 10.00 Flat Rate or a case of 12 for Free Shipping on www.vigoacuisine.com

 

Lab Made Burgers

 

 

 

 

 

Sounds like it’s science fiction right? Something from a late night movie when nothing else is on t.v. Well, welcome to the future. They are now growing meat in labs and expect that by 2020 it will be available on grocery store shelves.

So here’s the deal. They take a sample of stem cells out of the muscle of the cow and put it in a petri dish and they feed the cells and the cells grow. Then they layer the laboratory muscles together add coloring and fat and make a hamburger. :-}

The idea behind it is that it’s more efficient to feed people meat from a laboratory than from a cow as a cow takes up a lot of room, 28 times the room to be precise, and lots more food to produce food, not to mention the stinky butane production.

It’s interesting to say the least. Here’s the video for the “Lab-burger-tory”

Would you eat a hamburger from a “lab-burger-tory” I wonder if they would serve it with a real tomato or maybe just a 3D copied tomato 😉

Hope all is well with you and yours.

We are heading up North for our Summer tours, maybe we’ll see you up there. Do you live in Florida or up North?

talk soon,

Miriam and Kristi

p.s

Whenever you’re ready, here’s two more ways we can help you.

Our Canary Island Olive Oil is now sold in Lucky’s Markets as well as Whole Foods Markets.

If you rather not run around looking for your favorite flavor of Canary Island Garlic Herb Olive Oils you can grab a 1/2 case for 10.00 Flat Rate Shipping or a whole case for Free shipping on our Website www.vigoacuisine.com\

Prefer the Artisan Market of Etsy we now have all our books as well as all our flavors on Etsy 

Also our third book:

There’s No Food in Your Food: Do you strip paint with it or feed it to your children?             is now available on Amazon as well as our Etsy site.