Meatless Monday: Increasing Your Vegetable Intake

One Step At a Time...

You Can Go Meatless

For All Three Meals

Veggie Round-UP

When it comes to making sound nutrition choices, many would like it to be black and white. This food is good; this food is bad. This fruit is the worst; this vegetable is the best. However, healthy eating isn’t all black and white. Eating nutritiously is all about selecting a variety of wholesome foods. When it comes to vegetables, certainly all are good for you, but some are stronger in specific nutritional contributions, for example, vitamin A, potassium, fiber, and phytochemicals—plant compounds with health benefits. A nutrient-rich diet that protects against disease is packed with a variety of different vegetables.

According to the USDA Dietary Guidelines, adults should consume 2-3 cups of vegetables daily, depending on age and gender. Unfortunately, many Americans aren’t reaching that goal. Getting the recommended amount of vegetables per day can help improve your overall health by lowering your risk of certain cancers, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease. Vegetables, rich in fiber, also can help boost your digestive health and promote a healthier weight. And of course, eating your veggies helps you pack your diet with essential nutrients and antioxidant compounds. Our vegetable nutrition comparison gives you a little more information on just how hardworking those vegetables are.

If you’re trying to get more vegetables into your diet, try these helpful tips:

Sandwich Stacking. If your sandwich is usually just bread, meat and cheese, consider adding a healthy layer of vegetables. In addition to the usual tomato and lettuce, try baby spinach, roasted red peppers, and shredded carrots.

Soup’s On! Vegetable soups or pasta sauces are great vehicles to boost your vegetable intake. Add chopped peppers, carrots, mushrooms, zucchini, and more to the pot as it simmers.

Casserole Fillers. Macaroni and cheese, chili, and other one-pot meals are delicious with extra vegetables mixed in, such as bell peppers, broccoli, corn, or tomatoes.

( Adapted from Heidi Mclndoo )

Healthy Meatless Recipe:

SPAGHETTI WITH QUINOA MEATBALLS

( Adapted from aidamollenkamp.com )

Ingredients:

For the quinoa balls:

• ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons uncooked quinoa, rinsed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 small onion, chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 225 grams of mushrooms, chopped
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste or 3 tablespoons tomato sauce
• 3 tablespoons fresh basil
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• ¼ cup panko or regular bread crumbs

For the spaghetti

• Spaghetti (Whole Wheat or Spaghetti Squash)
• Tomato sauce
• Vegetables of your choice ( artichoke hearts and cherry tomatoes are very tasty)

Directions:

1. Bring ¾ of a cup of water to a boil. Add the quinoa and cover. Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer until the water is absorbed.
2. In a separate pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add the crushed red pepper and allow to cook for about 30 seconds. Add the onion, salt and pepper to taste, and cook until soft. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for a further 30 seconds.
3. Add the mushrooms and cook until brown, about 10 minutes, then add the tomato paste and cook for a further minute. Once ready, remove from heat and allow to cool.
4. In a bowl, combine the quinoa, mushroom mixture, egg, panko, and basil. Wet your hands a little and form mixture into 1 tablespoon balls. Arrange the balls on a greased or lined baking sheet and bake in a preheated 350° Fahrenheit oven for 15 – 20 minutes until a little crispy on the outside.
5. While the quinoa balls bake, prepare spaghetti, tomato sauce, and vegetables to your liking. Gently remove quinoa balls from the baking sheet, they can be a little delicate. Serve on top of your spaghetti.

Enjoy and Bon Appetit!

Healthy Weekly Motivator

Try A Monday Mile

Get your health back on track with the Monday Mile. Organize a walk, jog or run with friends, family and co-workers!

Remember Green Goes with Everything

Non-Toxic Green Cleaning Products

Did you know that 1 in every 10 children develops asthma, and that chemicals in many of the mainstream cleaning products have been scientifically linked to asthma?* Did you know that rate of child autism development has increased to 1 in every 88 children, and that autism is linked to not just genes, but also the environment?

This is scary stuff. If you want to keep your kids and family healthy, you absolutely must limit the amount of toxins that they all interact with. One of the most common way that toxins enter our bodies is through home cleaning supplies. These can be easily replaced with green cleaning products. Here’s a real-life story from Sloan Barnett, wife of Shaklee’s CEO (Roger), as she explains how their son’s sudden asthma development was linked to home cleaning products.

90% of our time is spent inside, and indoor air pollution is 2-5x higher inside than outside. Where do your kids spend most of their time?

There is something you can do about this: limit chemicals in your home. It’s time to make a change for the health of your family. Shaklee’s Get Clean green cleaning products are the solution to a healthier home.

Have a great week and remember a better tomorrow starts with what you eat today!

Do you have a favorite meatless recipe you would like to share with us? Send it my way!

Wishing you health and wellness from the inside out,

Lisa

LQ WELLNESS

Professional Wellness Coach

973-383-0955

lisaquinnwc@embarqmail.com

Interested in Optimal Wellness? Take a look at products available here!

Make sure to follow me on Twitter @lq_wellness

Like me on Facebook

Follow me on Pinterest

“Respect your body. Eat well. Dance forever.”

~ Eliza Gaynor Minden ~

Meatless Monday: Lifestyle Changes For Breast Cancer Patients

One Step At a Time...

You Can Go Meatless

For All Three Meals

A new report outlines four lifestyle strategies that can lead to longer survival for women diagnosed with breast cancer:

• Achieve and maintain a healthy body weight
• Stay physically active
• Eating more vegetables, fruits fiber and soy
• Restrict your intake of fats, especially saturated fats
• Minimize intake of cured, pickled and smoked foods
• Alcohol consumption should be done in moderation

This report further highlights growing evidence that lifestyle, specifically diet and exercise, can play a huge role in the protection against breast cancer—particularly for survivors. The landmark review paints a picture of a breast cancer-protective plate: One that is packed with minimally processed plant foods—fruits, vegetables, beans, soy (the AICR suggest up to two servings per day), and whole grains—which are higher in fiber and protective phytochemicals and lower in saturated fat. Along with physical activity, this eating style is linked with a healthier body weight too. And it just so happens to be an eating style linked with protection against other chronic diseases, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

There are no food or dietary supplements that will act as “magic bullets” to prevent breast cancer from returning. The diet guidelines mentioned above for cancer prevention can be used to decrease the chance of a breast cancer recurrence.A healthy diet is only one of several factors that can affect the immune system; exercise and stress management are just as important in improving your overall health and well being.

Healthy Meatless Recipe:

Spaghetti Squash Mac and Cheese

(Courtesy of Lizzie Fuhr)

Ingredients:

• 1 large spaghetti squash
• Canola oil spray
• 1 tablespoon ghee or olive oil
• 1 tablespoon whole-wheat flour
• 1 cup low-fat milk
• 1 cup reduced-fat cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• Salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional garnish
• 1 teaspoon grated parmesan, optional garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Cut spaghetti squash in half, and scoop out and discard seeds. Spray the center of both halves of squash with cooking spray, and place cut side up on a cookie sheet. Roast until tender when pierced with a knife, about 50 minutes.
2. Remove squash from oven, and let cool. Once it's safe to handle, scrape flesh into a large bowl. Add in steamed broccoli florets to bowl and set aside.
3. In a large saucepan, melt ghee on medium heat and whisk in whole wheat flour. Add milk and whisk quickly. Turn heat down to low, add both cheeses to saucepan, and stir until melted. Remove from heat.
4. Pour cheese sauce over spaghetti squash and broccoli mixture, and toss until all the squash is covered.
5. Dish into 4 portions, and top off with red pepper flakes and extra cheese if you wish!

Enjoy and Bon Appetit!

Healthy Weekly Motivator

The Magic of Music

 Music can not only calm you, it can also energize you. This week, try making a playlist of songs that put you in a positive mood, and let the music take you away!

Remember Green Goes with Everything

Do You Know What is Lurking In Your Deodorant

Deodorant and antiperspirants are loaded with super nasty, ultra-toxic ingredients. And those precious little underarms of yours? Well – they’re absorbing it all. Let’s talk about why you really should ditch that drugstore deodorant, for good. Here’s a basic breakdown of what’s lurking inside your chemical laden deodorant:

Aluminum: the active ingredient in almost all deodorant, creating a temporary plug in your sweat glands, leaving your underarms dry.

The dangers: when exposed to sweat, aluminum mimics estrogen’s hormonal effects. Some scientists believe that because of this, it might have the ability to promote cancer growth particularly in the breasts.

Parabens: acts as a preservative.

The dangers: parabens have the same estrogen-mimicking ability as aluminum.

Triclosan: a chemical compound that acts as an antibacterial, also classified as a pesticide by the FDA and a carcinogen by the EPA. The dangers: studies have shown that triclosan can alter hormone regulation.

Propylene Glycol: a synthetic liquid used to absorb sweat but maintain moisture.

The dangers: while the FDA states that propylene glycol is “generally labeled as safe” for use in foods, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry lists it as a potential effector for dermal, renal + respiratory organ systems.

Phthalates: used to maintain fragrance and color in products.

The dangers: studies have shown phthalates to alter hormonal systems and harm reproductive health.

Is this enough information to make you want to change to a healthier, greener, chemical-free lifestyle. The FDA cannot require that products be tested for safety or that the results of safety testing be made available to the agency. It cannot require recall of a product. So, just who is looking out for our health and safety? Try Shaklee's Desert Wind Roll-On or Cream Antiperspirant. Desert Wind contains no damaging chemical ingredients and their biodegradable surfactants protect nature. Their natural ingredients protect your health! What more could you ask for?! Find more info on natural, safe deodorant protection here.

Have a great week and remember a better tomorrow starts with what you eat today!

Do you have a favorite meatless recipe you would like to share with us? Send it my way!

Wishing you health and wellness from the inside out,

Lisa

LQ WELLNESS

Professional Wellness Coach

973-383-0955

lisaquinnwc@embarqmail.com

Interested in Optimal Wellness? Take a look at products available here!

Make sure to follow me on Twitter @lq_wellness

Like me on Facebook

Follow me on Pinterest

“To keep the body in good health is a duty... otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.”

~Buddha~

Meatless Monday: Benefits of Going Meatless One Day A Week

One Step At a Time...

You Can Go Meatless

For All Three Meals

Serving healthy meals on a budget can be challenging. Some people save money by adding meatless meals to their weekly menus. But meatless meals can be good for your health, not just your budget.

Meatless meals are built around vegetables, beans and grains. This can save money, since meat tends to be more expensive. A plant-based diet — which emphasizes fruits and vegetables, grains, beans and legumes, and nuts — is also rich in fiber, vitamins and other nutrients. This type of diet can reduce the risk of heart disease.

The Mayo Clinic also cites a National Cancer Institute study of 500,000 people that found those who ate 4 ounces (113 grams) of red meat or more daily were 30 percent more likely to have died of any cause during a 10-year period than were those who consumed less. Sausage, luncheon meats and other processed meats also increased the risk. Those who ate mostly poultry or fish had a lower risk of death.

When your meals include meat, don't overindulge. As appealing as a big steak may be, a healthier choice is to choose lean cuts of meat and avoid oversized portions.

Although you may not be able to imagine giving up bacon or cheeseburgers, switching over to a plant-based diet can have health and nutritional advantages. In many cases, you can improve your risk factors for a variety of diseases and health problems by simply reducing the amount of meat that you eat, even if you don’t give it up entirely.

Eating a vegetarian diet provides several health benefits including those associated with weight control. According to L. Bellows, food and nutrition specialist at Colorado State University Extension, because they eat a plant-based diet, vegetarians tend to consume fewer calories, less fat and have a lower body mass index. BMI is an estimate of body-fat levels. Animal foods, including meat and dairy products, are high in fat, especially saturated fat and cholesterol. The additional fat in these foods not only increase calorie consumption, they elevate the risk of chronic disease.

According to the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, giving up meat can reduce your risks of cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney stones, gallstones and osteoporosis. Further, ChooseMyPlate.gov from the USDA notes that eating more fruits and vegetables can cut risks of high cholesterol, heart attack and stroke. The drop in such risk factors is partly due to lower cholesterol intake, since plant-based food items are cholesterol-free and dairy products tend to be lower in cholesterol than meat.

A vegetarian diet is healthiest when it’s balanced and includes daily servings of all major food groups, including fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, grains and dairy products. Before you make the switch to a meatless diet, talk with your physician or a registered dietitian about how to meet all of your nutritional needs, especially if you deal with a chronic health condition or have other dietary restrictions.

Healthy Meatless Recipe:

Five-Vegetable Lentil Soup Recipe

(Adapted from Fit Bottom Eats )

Ingredients:

• 10 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth
• 1½ cups lentils
• 1 large onion diced
• 4 stalks celery with leaves chopped
• 4 large carrots diced
• 1T tomato paste
• 1 medium bunch kale, chopped
• 1t chopped garlic
• 1t fresh, ground pepper
• 1T good olive oil
• ¼ cup chopped fresh, flat leaf parsley

Directions:

1. Soak and wash lentils in colander until clean.
2. Meanwhile, sauté the onions, celery and carrots with olive oil in 10- to 12-quart soup pot until golden. Then, add garlic and sauté for 1 minute being careful not to burn garlic. Add tomato paste, broth, lentils, and pepper.
3. Simmer until lentils are soft and tender (approximately 1½ hour)
4. Turn heat off. Add the chopped kale at the very end stirring until well incorporated and, then, add fresh, chopped parsley.
5. Makes 12 servings

Enjoy and Bon Appetit!

Healthy Weekly Motivator

Gratitude In Your Attitude

Feeling stressed? This week,beat stress with gratitude.Try writing down five things every day that you feel grateful for.

Remember Green Goes with Everything

Personal Care For You and Your Family

A new day dawns for you: You enter the bathroom( that was cleaned with all types of chemicals). You brush your teeth, soap your body, shampoo and cream rinse your hair, use deodorant, lotions, moisturizers, shaving cream, cosmetics, hair spray or gel, nail polish, perfume or cologne, feminine products, etc. You are now clean and presentable to the world, ready to face the day, or at least get to your coffee.

Now let's think about what you have just accomplished:

Your day has just begun with a bountiful dose of toxic chemicals. They have entered your bloodstream through your mouth, your skin and your respiratory tract. And you haven't even left your bathroom yet! Polluting your body with toxins as you “clean” your body. Does it make any sense to you? Take a look here for natural, safe personal care products.. No damaging chemical ingredients. Biodegradable surfactants protect nature. Natural ingredients protect health. These personal care products are highly concentrated... a little goes a long way.

Have a great week and remember a better tomorrow starts with what you eat today!

Do you have a favorite meatless recipe you would like to share with us? Send it my way!

Wishing you health and wellness from the inside out,

Lisa

LQ WELLNESS

Professional Wellness Coach

973-383-0955

lisaquinnwc@embarqmail.com

Interested in Optimal Wellness? Take a look at products available here!

Make sure to follow me on Twitter @lq_wellness

Like me on Facebook

Follow me on Pinterest

“People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is light from within.”

~Elizabeth Kubler-Ross~

Meatless Monday: What A Little Lemon Can Do For You

One Step At a Time...

You Can Go Meatless

For All Three Meals

A Little Lemon Can Help You Trim The Salt

Most good cooks understand the secret of lemons. These citrus fruits are indispensable ingredients in your kitchen, offering a bold array of aromas and flavors: sour, fresh, and zesty. With every squeeze of juice and pinch of zest, lemons can brighten savory dishes, soups, pastas, salads, baked goods, and desserts—all with zero fat and sodium. And the trademark flavor of lemons may have an added nutritional bonus; recent research found that using lemon juice and lemon zest can help decrease the amount of sodium you add to recipes, without sacrificing flavor.

Lemon juice + lemon zest = less salt.

Using lemons instead of salt to flavor dishes can cut sodium as much as 75 percent without compromising taste, according to research by chefs at Johnson & Wales University, which was commissioned by Sunkist. This is good news, since the Dietary Guidelines recommends adults keep sodium levels to less than 2,300 milligrams (mg) per day to reduce the risk of high blood pressure, heart attacks, and strokes. Unfortunately, most Americans consume too much sodium—about 3,400 mg per day. While most of the sodium (about 75 percent) in our diets comes from processed and restaurant foods, it’s still a good idea to cut back on salt during cooking.

Squeezing in flavor.

It’s easy to use lemon to flavor your favorite dishes; just try these tips:

• Don’t automatically add salt to your favorite recipes; instead, season with spices, herbs, and lemon juice and/or zest. Taste the finished product; if it really needs salt, then add a pinch or two.
• Lemon juice and/or zest can brighten salads, dressings, marinades, pasta dishes, casseroles, soups, stews, baked potatoes, baked goods, and fruit desserts.
• To make lemon juice, roll a lemon on a flat surface, slice in half, and squeeze juice (a handheld lemon juicer makes this job easier) into a container or directly over foods. One lemon yields about 2-3 tablespoons of juice.
• To make lemon zest, wash the outer surface of a lemon and use a small grater or zester on the outer, colored surface. One lemon yields about 1 tablespoon of zest.

I can smell the wonderful aroma of lemons already! Just think of all the health benefits of a fresh lemon!

Healthy Meatless Recipe:

Pasta with Zucchini, Tomatoes and Creamy Lemon-Yogurt Sauce

( Courtesy of Rebecca Crump )

Ingredients:

• 8 OUNCES WHOLE WHEAT LINGUINE (OR YOUR PASTA OF CHOICE)

• 1/2 CUP NONFAT PLAIN GREEK YOGURT
• 1/4 CUP GRATED PARMESAN CHEESE
• 1 TEASPOON GRATED LEMON ZEST
• 1/4 TEASPOON SALT
• 1/4 TEASPOON GROUND BLACK PEPPER
• 1 TABLESPOON OLIVE OIL
• 3 MEDIUM (8-OUNCE) ZUCCHINI, CUT INTO THIN STRIPS (3 INCHES LONG AND 3/4 INCH WIDE, LIKE A BIG STICK OF GUM)
• 2 GARLIC CLOVES, THINLY SLICED
• 1/2 PINT GRAPE OR CHERRY TOMATOES, HALVED LENGTHWISE

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook about 9 minutes, or according to the package directions. Remove 1/4 cup of the cooking water, and set it aside. Drain the pasta. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together the yogurt, Parmesan, lemon zest, and salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini, and cook just until wilted, flipping them over occasionally with a spatula. (The zucchini will be soft and somewhat see-through.)
4. Use a spoon or spatula to push the zucchini aside so a space on the bottom of the pan is clear. Add the garlic, and cook for 15 to 30 seconds, until golden but not really brown.
5. Use a spoon or spatula to push the zucchini aside so a space on the bottom of the pan is clear. Add the garlic, and cook for 15 to 30 seconds, until golden but not really brown.
6. Stir in the tomatoes and cook until softened, about 2 minutes.
7. Transfer the zucchini mixture to the yogurt mixture, and stir to combine. Add the drained linguine, and toss gently to combine. Add the reserved pasta cooking water a tablespoon at a time, if necessary, to thin it. Divide among four bowls and serve.

Enjoy and Bon Appetit!

Healthy Weekly Motivator

Simple Ways to De-Stress You

Remember Green Goes with Everything

Dangers of Household Cleaners

What are you accomplishing when you clean your home, your laundry, etc.? What are you doing to the quality of the air you breathe in your home, your sanctuary from the outside world? What is left behind on your floors, your laundry, etc. after they have been “cleaned”. Are there safe, non-toxic alternatives that can do the job? Yes, there are; please watch the following video where Oprah discussed the dangers and see for your self. Then ask yourself – how many loaded guns are in your home?

Have a great week and remember a better tomorrow starts with what you eat today!

Do you have a favorite meatless recipe you would like to share with us? Send it my way!

Wishing you health and wellness from the inside out,

Lisa

LQ WELLNESS

Professional Wellness Coach

973-383-0955

lisaquinnwc@embarqmail.com

Interested in Optimal Wellness? Take a look at products available here!

Make sure to follow me on Twitter @lq_wellness

Like me on Facebook

Follow me on Pinterest

“Treat yourself and others with kindness when you eat, exercise, play, work, love, and everything else.

~ Dr. Wayne Dyer ~