Mary Ellen Zung

My Sugar Free Year - Day 52

September 4, 2021 Day 52 A study I read yesterday stated that two fruits a day lowers the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by 36% in five years compared to eating less than half a serving per day. Higher fruit intake of apples, bananas, oranges and other citrus fruits was linked to better measures of glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity. Sugar is our bodies preferred fuel, but added sugar - no need. Headed to the kitchen to make a fruit salad! Read More

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Mary Ellen Zung

My Sugar Free Year - Day 51

September 3, 2021 Day 51 Whip up this white bean dip in just a few minutes. Add 2 cups white Navy beans (cooked, drained and rinsed), 1/2 tsp. dried thyme, 1 garlic clove, ¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and ½ lemon (juiced) to a food processor and puree until smooth. It’s great to take on the road, to serve to guests, or have for the week at home as an afternoon snack served with veggies or these no-sugar seed crackers. Read More

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Mary Ellen Zung

My Sugar Free Year - Day 50

September 2, 2021 Day 50 What weather we’ve had. I hope everyone is safe and sound. I spent yesterday at the U.S. Open in Flushing Meadows, NY. Thankfully I was traveling on a bus with friends and I didn’t have to drive in that crazy weather. Needless to say. there was much sugar on the party bus, and throughout the day. I was tempted a few times and said no, thanks to my sugar free year and your support, as well as packing healthy snacks and water on the bus in my cooler. Read More

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Mary Ellen Zung

My Sugar Free Year - Day 49

September 1, 2021 Day 49 I had a meeting with the Alzheimer’s Association yesterday to talk about their Healthy Living for Your Brain and Body education series and me coming on as a guest speaker. Basically, what they teach through this series is that brain health is related to your overall health. Preventing Alzheimer’s disease or dementia is not just about doing the crossword puzzle. It’s taking care of your nutrition, activity, socialization, sleep, and of course risk reduction like wearing a bike helmet, etc. Read More

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Mary Ellen Zung

My Sugar Free Year - Day 48

August 31, 2021 Day 48 A theme developed yesterday and it was all about the Mediterranean. I had a hardboiled egg with fruit on the side in the morning. Then a niçoise salad with lettuce, green beans, red bliss potatoes in mustard dressing, Italian tuna, and olives for lunch, and shrimp puttanesca over spaghetti squash for dinner, all with no added sugar. Also, a friend texted me that she had a Mediterranean cookbook that I might like to look at and I picked it up from her porch. This all inspired me to share my Mediterranean Diet starter program with you. If you are interested, please check it out here. Here’s how I made the easy and delicious shrimp puttanesca. No wine, no sugar, and all delicious. Read More

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Mary Ellen Zung

My Sugar Free Year - Day 47

August 30, 2021 Day 47 Good friends and neighbors invited us for dinner last night. We gathered with moms and dads who had just taken their teens and young adults back to college. Gratefully, we had our graduate with us! To add to the already robust menu of smoked salmon and London broil, I marinated chicken in lemon, lime, olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme. I brought over casaba melon, Italian plums, ground cherries, and a napa cabbage salad. All were made with no sugar added. My husband picked up cupcakes from a local bakery, and a few were eaten, but everyone loved the plums, and ground cherries – something different. Read More

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Mary Ellen Zung

My Sugar Free Year - Day 46

August 29, 2021 Day 46 Yesterday I wanted pizza for dinner. Ordering pizza on the weekend is such a break from meal planning and cooking during the week, and with more meal planning and cooking on the weekend for the next week, we all need a break. Plus, everyone loves our local pizza restaurant. We’ve been going there for the past 20 years since we lived in town. Before my son was even born, a group of friends would gather there every Friday night, and talk about the week, and just have a lot of fun. Our children grew up there, and we all know the owners and they know us. Read More

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Mary Ellen Zung

My Sugar Free Year - Day 45

August 28, 2021 Day 45 There’s a hummingbird feeder right outside of the bay window in our kitchen, so we can see the beautiful little guys and gals when they come to feed. Yesterday while making dinner, I noticed the feeder was empty, and the poor little guy attracted by the red feeder tried for some sugar, and unsatisfied flitted away. So, it was time to make some more simple syrup for the hummingbirds. Read More

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Mary Ellen Zung

My Sugar Free Year - Day 44

August 27, 2021 Day 44 Steak and pepper stir fry with onions and fermented black beans, a dinner that my mother-in-law taught me how to cook, is a pretty simple meal to throw together on a weeknight. However, cooking a seemingly sugar free dinner, one that I’ve made many times before, now that I’m paying attention, turned out to be one with added sugar, not much, but still enough to alter the recipe. Here’s how it went last night. Read More

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Mary Ellen Zung

My Sugar Free Year - Day 43

August 26, 2021 Day 43 How could it be that a big homemade chocolate chip cookie has sat in our kitchen for the past two months and no one has eaten it up? Maybe at this point everyone thinks it’s too old so why bother? I just thought that was funny. I guess it’s time for that cookie to take a trip to the trash can. I’m really glad I included a bit of dried fruit (no sugar added) on this no sugar added adventure. Yesterday afternoon I wanted something sweet and indulged in a few walnuts and organic raisins. I’m eating more dates and raisins than I usually do, but I shouldn’t feel guilty about it. As long as it’s mindful and not just munching on an endless bowl of nuts. Read More

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