What can Honey do for you?

With the chilly weather and the winter colds, honey can be a great option to help soothe a scratchy throat and also to build your immune system.

If you are heading to workout, have some honey. It helps control blood sugar which keeps you performing at an optimal level in your workout routine.

 If you are looking for an antioxidant boost, add a little honey to your tea, or mix it with peanut butter to sweeten the flavor. 

If you are battling high cholesterol, replace sugar with honey and it may help to lower the bad cholesterol.

If you want to improve your G.I. Health, add honey to increase the immune-boosting bacteria. Keep this in mind if you have to take an antibiotic. Yogurt is a great source of probiotics. Add a little honey on top to build a healthy intestinal track.

As always, try to buy honey from your local area!

Looking for a healthy snack?

How's your New Year's Resolution going?

When the mid-afternoon rolls around and your stomach starts to growl, and you’re craving something sweet, check out Nicole's Nutty Goodness. 

It's a wonderful option that is sure to satisfy. It's raw, it's organic and most importantly, it's a delicious snack! There are several amazing flavors to choose from and there's a variety pack that you can order online if you don't live close by a location which sells the nutty goodness bars.  Each 2oz package is between 250-260 calories. It's gluten free and provides a great source of energy. 

Give it a try, I guarantee you won't be disappointed and your body will thank you!

http://www.nuttygoodness.net/

A Fresh Start

The start of a New Year creates an opportunity to form new habits, change our ways and start over. The most common resolutions include eating healthy and exercising.  Anytime either of these resolution choices is shared with me, I often ask for the specifics of the long-term plan. A resolution is in fact for the year, 365 days, right? Unfortunately many resolutions don’t make it much past the end of January let alone for the entire year.

What can you do to ensure that your 2012 resolution(s) stick? First, start by getting specific with what it is that you truly hope to achieve. Next write it down and put it in a place that you can see it. You’ll also want to share it with friends and/or family who will support you. 

Let’s look at the resolution to “eat healthier”. How can you make this a successful resolution? Start with small goals each week (or as long as needed) to build up to the ultimate goal. Perhaps you want to adjust a series of poor eating habits. First, cut yourself some slack, you didn’t start them all at once, and so it’s going to take time to eliminate each one!  Some popular choices included: cut down on caffeine, reduce and fast food from your diet, eliminate fried foods, lower your alcohol intake. Take one at a time and cut it out of your diet. It could take more than a week, and it might help at the beginning to allow yourself one day out of the week to savor the treats that you enjoy, just don’t over do it.

Most importantly, allow yourself the time to adjust to your new habits and finding healthy alternative options. You have the next 363 days to continue to work on you resolutions- You can do it this year!

Super foods...

Constitutes a food that is high in vitamins, minerals and has high concentrations of essential nutrients with proven health benefits.

Kale is a super food, which is a leafy green vegetable that is high in beta-carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, lutein, zeaxanthin, and calcium.  It’s best to eat raw, steam, stir-fry, or microwave.  Reason being, if you boil will reduce the nutrients. The benefits of this super food include anti-cancer properties. Kale also contains a source of indole-3-carbinol, which is a chemical that boosts DNA repair in cells and may block the growth of cancer cells.

How do you prepare kale? I found a recipe on the foodnetwork.com by Bobby Flay, that looks simple and tasty. I’m going to give it a try tomorrow and thought I’d share:

It’s called “Sautéed Kale” by Bobby Flay

1      ½ pounds of young kale, stems and leaves coarsely chopped

2      3 tablespoons of olive oil

3      2 cloves of garlic, finely sliced

4      ½ cup of vegetable stock or water

5      Salt and Pepper

6      2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar

Directions:

Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until soft, but not colored. Raise to high, add the stock and kale and toss to combine. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove cover and continue to cook, stirring until all the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add vinegar.

Gift Giving...

It can often be chore when we wait until the last minute or more commonly just aren’t sure what to buy for a particular person. Thoughts trail through our mind, and we wonder about the different options. Do I buy something practical? Would this gift be over the top? How much would a gift like this get used? 

When shopping for gifts, we want nothing more than our gift to be recognized and appreciated by the person we are giving it to. Sometimes, we spend so much time looking for the perfect gift that we forget the reason for giving.

Whether it’s a birthday, wedding, holiday or simply a way to say thank you. A gift  must come from the heart. Take time to think about the activities that you enjoy most with that person. What other hobbies does that person enjoy? What makes that person happiest? How can your gift contribute to making that person’s day a little brighter?

In the spirit of the holidays, take some a quiet moment, sit with your list, and look at the names of the people that you want give a gift. Then, think about your memories with each person. It might take a little time, but you will soon discover the perfect gift!

Winter Blues

Sometimes winter can get a bad rap and can be referred to as the SAD season. Don’t let the early sunsets and cold temperatures affect your mood. There are things we can do to prevent the seasonal mood changes. 

Start by embracing the day and finding time to get outside at some point before sunset. As little as 10 minutes of sunshine can provide benefits of Vitamin D along with a mood lifter. With the holiday season, there are a lot of cookies and family recipes that often make their way into the workplace. It’s important to not cave into the carbohydrate cravings!  Enjoy a taste of it, but be sure to include energy packed vegetables and lean proteins as well. 

As always, keep moving! With the frigid temperatures, it can be a challenge to get out of bed early to work out, yet many studies show those who get their morning workout in before their work day, are more inclined to keep up their routine and have the added benefit of burning calories in the morning, essentially eating a larger breakfast, lighter lunch and a balanced dinner. If it’s a weight workout, you’ll have the added benefit of burning more calories throughout the day. 

It’s also a great time of year to try something outdoors that you don’t typically do. Gather some work out buddies and find an activity or two that you can experience together. Most importantly, get your sleep and take your vitamins. You can’t replace sleep with an energy drink or extra coffee. Take the time to reenergize your body by getting enough rest and the vitamins will ensure a strong immune system to stay healthy throughout the winter season.

Letting go....

We need to just let things go! We are all human and make mistakes, communicate differently, and have different perspectives on life.  We don’t realize how much MORE energy it takes to be frustrated with a situation until we do something about it.  Whether we are frustrated with a friend, impatient with a colleague, or simply annoyed with a particular situation, there are always opportunities to change the outcome. Just because something isn’t as we would like it at a particular moment, doesn’t mean that it’s going to be that way forever. The best thing about life, is that we not just along for the ride, we are in the driver’s seat!

You might be thinking, “there are several things on my plate right now that I need to do something about!” Not sure what to do first? Prioritize. What is causing you the most pain? Meaning, what is really bothering you the most? That is a good place to begin and create a timeline for what to tackle and by when. Don’t let it linger. Once you tackle your first “Letting Go” experience, it’s such a huge lift off your shoulders and it will be inspiring. It’s also a great motivator to work through the other concerns that have been on your mind.  

With the end of the year around the corner, take charge now and decide what’s going to be put on your  “Letting Go” List.

Happy Holidays!

As the first weekend of December is upon us, keep in mind it’s important to prepare for the holiday parties and festivities beforehand.

A few tips to keep your waistline trim this holiday season.

-       Have a snack before the event. Be sure to have something with protein to help keep you full and satisfied. You don’t want to be munching too much on all of the appetizers. (A sampling is wonderful, but there’s nothing worse than starving while at an event) Try a handful of nuts, an apple with peanut butter, hummus and vegetables, or even a small protein shake.

-       Drink plenty of water throughout the day to ensure you’re hydrated for your event. This will help to prevent you from drinking too much too fast if you plan on having a few cocktails at the event.

-       Can you squeeze in an afternoon nap? This time of year we are go,go,go! To keep our body in balance, it’s so important to make sure we are getting 7-8 hours of sleep. We can use the weekends to play catch up, but with holiday shopping, cooking and spending time with loved ones, sleep can be the first thing to be eliminated- Try to make an effort to get your sleep!

-       Depending on the time of the event that you’re attending, it might be helpful to get moving before to get your blood circulating and help to get you ready to go!

-       Know ahead of time what you are wearing, so you’re not running out to the store at the last minute to grab it. This will be a huge stress reliever!

Most of all, take time to enjoy the holidays… After all, they only come around once a year.

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