How about a new recipe for dinner

With the change in season, we have delicious winter vegetables to enjoy. Oftentimes I find myself at the grocery store looking at the variety available in the produce section and think how in the world do you cook any of these vegetables?

After branching out and purchasing an acorn squash, I decided to cook it as recommended in the oven. I then added my own flair! I encourage you to try this recipe. You won’t be disappointed. It’s a healthy and hearty meal for the chilly temperatures and you’ll feel full and satisfied afterwards.

Acorn Squash stuffed with Quinoa

Start by preheating the oven to 350, then spray the pan with a nonstick spray and place  each half of the acorn squash face down for 30 minutes.

While the squash is cooking, start the quinoa. Add 2 cups of chicken broth to a pot and bring to a boil. Then add 1 cup of quinoa. Turn the heat down to medium and allow the quinoa to cook uncovered for 13-16 minutes.

In a sauté pan, start with olive oil and garlic, and then add a little sea salt, fresh cracked pepper and a tablespoon of pine nuts. Once the pine nuts are toasted, add 3 small tomatoes. The heat should be turned to low at this time. Add a tablespoon of Pesto. By this time the quinoa should be finished cooking. Toss the cooked quinoa into the sauté pan and gently mix to ensure all ingredients are blended together.  Top with a little cayenne pepper to add heat and a little crumbled feta cheese (as much or as little as you like) Then take the squash out of the oven, and fill the quinoa to each half and you have a delicious dinner prepared in just 30 minutes!

This meal provides a good balance of vegetables, protein and healthy fats. It’s delicious and I hope you think so too!

Ingredients:

-Acorn Squash

-1 Cup Quinoa

-2 Cups Chicken Broth

1 Clove of Garlic

1 Tbs. Olive Oil

1Tbs Pine Nuts

3 Small Tomatoes

1 Tbs. Pesto

Sea Salt

Fresh Cracked Pepper

Cayenne Pepper

¼ Cup Feta Cheese

Take Time for Yourself

It’s a new day, and a fresh start. Yesterday was a time to enjoy with friends and family, sharing our favorite recipes and hopefully a little exercise by participating in an activity with a loved one.  Whether you spent most of the day in the kitchen cooking, or spent time enjoying the Macy’s Parade, it’s time to think about your action plan to get moving today and throughout December.

 Think Short Term!

It’s easy to plan ahead to what you will do come January 1, but ask yourself what you need to d now to keep fit, and get fitter throughout the holiday season. Are there any local charity workouts that you can get involved in? Perhaps a holiday run or bike ride. There are so many charities looking for volunteers this time of year, and many of the duties require lifting, moving things and some sort of running around. It not only helps us to feel better about our body image, but we feel better knowing that we are also contributing to a good cause. Couple this with healthy meal and snack options and you’ll be feeling ready to take on the New Year!

Healthy Holiday Habits

 It’s essential to maintain our health during the busy holiday season and with more on our social agendas, we sometimes forget to take a moment to take care of ourselves. First, we need to be mindful of our level of patience. Our stress level can increase dramatically when we are sitting in gridlock traffic, waiting in lines that wrap around the grocery store and when we are running on empty because we missed lunch. Prepare yourself for the extra hustle and bustle this year by accepting the fact that our schedules are going to get a little more hectic with holiday parties, shopping and cooking. Next, think of it as a blessing because without family and friends surrounding us it wouldn’t be the same!

-          When out shopping, pack something that you can snack on to avoid grabbing fast food. Wait until you get home to relax and eat a meal. That is unless you are heading out to a restaurant to eat. (Keep in mind Dining out Do’s and Don’ts)

-          Its flu season, so be sure to wash your hands often, and it might be a good idea to keep a small hand sanitizer in your car or purse.

-          Load up on music that you want to listen to in the car. Perhaps you have a book on tape that you want to catch up on. Find something that you can listen to in the car to occupy your time to help alleviate the frustration of traffic.

-          Head to the grocery store early in the morning. It’s the best time to beat the rush! Wednesdays are when all of the new sales come out, so you’ll save a few extra dollars if you can make it an early Wednesday morning.

Most of all, remember what the holidays represent and enjoy time to relax and enjoy the company of your loved ones.

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy Thanksgiving!

Dining out Do's and Don'ts

It can be tempting to splurge a little too much when we head out to a restaurant. There are many delicious healthy options, but sometimes we are starving or simply craving something that later we will wish we never ate.  That’s why it’s important to plan ahead. A few tips to keep in your back pocket for the next time you go out to eat:

Do: Check the menu online ahead of time. Take a look at the options which will satisfy your hunger, and fuel your body. Look for options that include a lean protein, a vegetable (if not, add one!) and include a starch (preferably a whole grain option)

Don’t: Ruin your healthy selection by forgetting to request “No butter, No Oil”. Oftentimes I hear people say they are embarrassed to make special requests when they go out to eat. Don’t be. Politely ask because it’s your meal and a simple modification that the chef can make.

Do: Request Grilled, Broiled or Steamed. Those are key words to look for on the menu when it comes to selecting healthy options.

Don’t: Go over board with cheese, fried foods, heavy cream or dessert. When it comes to foods that you absolutely love, but they don’t love you, I suggest sharing it. Especially if you know you’ll order it and pick at it until you’ve just about eaten the entire thing! Make it a treat to enjoy with others, and limit your portion size.

Do:  Try something new! There are so many ways to prepare a variety of meals and many cuisines to sample. Don’t be afraid to try new things.

Bon Appetite 

Motivation can easily unravel...

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The holidays are upon us and so are the extra calories that come with the season. Oh, that didn’t sound so wonderful did it? The more you prepare to do something about it now, the better you’ll feel after the holidays. You won’t dread going the gym, eating healthy won’t seem like a chore and you won’t feel the guilty about overindulging because you’ve kept off the extra holiday pounds. 

How can you make this a reality this year? First, don’t deny yourself a little indulgence with your favorite family recipes.  Make a commitment to be vigilant about watching your portion size and make a mandatory appointment everyday to workout. Yes, EVERYDAY! It doesn’t mean that you have to get a full workout in at the gym every day, but make a commitment to get moving every day. This time of year, it’s getting colder outside, so we are less inclined to be active outdoors and start to slow down. Be mindful of how much you are moving everyday and make conscious effort to move more- Take the stairs, get up from your desk at work, take a walk before or after work, buddy up and find someone to support you in your effort.  Most importantly, don’t let one bad meal or a lazy day get you off track…Everyday provides us with a new opportunity to decide what healthy choices we are going to make.

Tip: Keep an extra set of workout clothes and sneakers in your car to ensure you’re always prepared for your workout! 

Not all running shoes are the same

I found a great website from Runners World magazine that I highly recommend for finding the best-fit shoe for you! With so many choices, it’s easy to quickly get overwhelmed with all of the options.

If you are looking for a new pair of running shoes or just curious to see what shoe is made for your foot, check out: runnersworld.com/shoefinder.  I recently took a look and it was so accurate that it found a running shoe that I currently run in along with other great options. Furthermore, it takes it a step further and allows you to compare the shoes that it selects for you.

The shoe finder will ask you for some basic information- sex, weight, and height. It then proceeds into questions about your running experience, mileage, pace and any recent injuries.  The last few questions are optional, but helpful to include if you know the information. It will ask about your arch. Do you have a flat, medium or high arch? Do you under/overpronate and goes on to ask a few more detailed questions. Again, the last few questions are simply to provide more about you so the shoe finder can choose wisely!

Lastly, don’t miss the tabs at the top of the page. I almost missed them! They offer, “Shoes like mine”. This option is helpful if you have a pair of shoes that you absolutely love and want to find another pair similar to them. There is also an “Advanced Search” which allows you to get very detailed for those of you who are extremely particular about your shoes!

Don’t wait to buy your new shoes for the New Year- Make it your motivational tool to get moving in December! 

It's Time...

I mentioned it last week, but If you haven’t already, it’s time to get your influenza vaccine.  Between the months of October and December, the flu vaccine is available and it’s not just for elders, pregnant women and children.  The vaccine protects you from catching the flu, but you can also play your part and avoid spreading it to others.   This is simply a form of prevention and with many strains of influenza, it doesn’t guarantee that you won’t get sick this winter, but it’s a great opportunity to plan ahead and take care of your body before the flu catches you off guard.

Having just caught a cold myself, threre are a few more things things we can do to prevent the flu and or a winter cold?

-       Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds. It’s the same amount of time it takes you to sing Happy Birthday!

-       Watch your alcohol consumption because it can impair your body’s ability to fight off viruses

-       Take your vitamins, not just Vitamin C. Stick to a well-balanced food regime that includes all of your vegetables and fruits. Take your multi vitamin and see your physician if you feel as if something is missing. You might need it.

-       SLEEP! We need more sleep in the wintertime to ward off viruses and anything less than 8 hours is insufficient. Take advantage of that fact that we just changed our clocks and try to put yourself to bed thirty minutes earlier.

Giving Back...

As it draws closer to Thanksgiving Day, we find ourselves thinking about where to buy the perfect turkey, how we are going to prepare our favorite fixings and begin to get excited about spending time together with friends and family.

Most importantly, we should step back and take time to be thankful for all that we have in our lives. It’s an essential part of growing and bettering ourselves. Best of all, it can happen throughout the year. So once the holiday season passes, don’t forget to take time to reflect on all of the good in life.

What can you do this month?  Find a local organization that gives back to the community. Locate a charity that perks your interest. Who knows… it could be something you enjoy and continue to stay involved in. Check out your local charitable organizations online and commit to participate at least once during this month of giving. Doing something for others helps us to appreciate all that we have in life.

Staying Healthy....

Trying to stay healthy as the cold and flu season approaches can be a challenge. The first line of defense is washing our hands and keeping our hands away from our face. Second, it’s essential to get a flu vaccination unless you have extenuating circumstances. Begin taking a multi vitamin if you’re not already doing so, and with the number of daylight hours decreasing, it’s important to add a little extra Vitamin D to your regime as well. I just discovered Emergen-C Vitamin D & Calcium which is easy to take because you simply add it to your water. 

Other tips to keep healthy include: Drinking plenty of water, staying fit- Keep up your workout routine. Don’t let the cold weather slow you down. Staying fit will help to strengthen your immune system. Lastly, fuel your body with fruits and vegetables. If possible, try to eat what is in season and local to your area.