Life of Lemons

When life gives you lemons, what do you do? You make Lemonade…right? Not only can you make lemonade but there is so much more that lemons have to offer, from beauty treatments to adding flavor to your foods and healthy benefits. Lets focus on the health benefits of lemons, since that’s what we strive for every day, to be healthy. Lemons have much nutritional value to offer you; we will focus on the greater sources such as an abundant amount of Vitamin C, Vitamin B (B6), potassium, iron and fiber. Just to freshen you up here is a quick guide of what these nutrients can offer you (note that these vitamins can do much more than I’ve listed):

• Vitamin C: has an impact on the amount of cholesterol in your body; can prevent heart problems
• Vitamin B6: the immune system needs this to function properly, a deficiency could lead to anemia
• Potassium: mineral that helps the kidney function normally
• Iron: not enough can also lead to a deficiency which would cause someone to have anemia
• Fiber: dietary fiber can lower cholesterol and even prevent cancer

Check out this website to learn a little more what mother nature has to offer within lemons: http://www.mothernature.com/Library/Ency/Index.cfm/Id/1809004. Lemons are a miracle fruit, not only can they prevent cancer and heart disease but they are very useful when it comes to bacteria and protecting against free radicals. They act as antibiotics and as an anti-bacterial. Lemons are found everywhere when you least expect them and they are always benefiting. The recipe below not only features our lemons but our very healthy extra-virgin olive oil containing a good amount of antioxidants which are fighting those free radicals in our bodies.

Stuffed Lemons

For 4

*4 fresh lemons

*16 ounce can of tuna in olive oil

*2 hard boiled eggs

*1 tablespoon of green olives

*1 tsp of capers

*1 tsp of extra virgin, cold pressed olive oil

Wash lemons and cut in half. Scoop out pulp. Place in food processor- drained tuna pieces, capers, pitted olives, yolks of hard boiled eggs. Blend till consistency of a smooth paste. Place small bed of lettuce or baby spinach or salad greens on 4 small appetizer plates. Slice egg whites. Place 2 lemon halves on each plate. Fill with tuna mixture. Garnish with egg white slices and whole green olives. Drizzle olive oil on top. Serve