MEATLESS MONDAYS

One Step At a Time....

You Can Go Meatless One Day For All Three Meals

The number one thing you can do today to improve your health and boost your energy is eat leafy greens. This simple act has powerful implications.

In his book, Integrative Nutrition, author Joshua Rosenthal describes it this way: “Greens help build our internal rainforest and strengthen our circulatory and respiratory system.” He goes on to say that the color green aligns with spring, “a time of renewal, refreshment, and vital energy.”

Indeed, the list of beneficial properties offered by greens is long and includes everything from improving circulation and liver function to strengthening the immune system, clearing congestion, and promoting healthy gut flora.

Greens provide a whole host of valuable nutrients, micronutrients, and phytonutrients such as:

• Calcium
• Magnesium
• Iron
• Potassium
• Phosphorous
• Zinc
• Vitamins A, C, and K
• Fiber
• Folate
• Chlorophyll

Chlorophyll (found in all green vegetables) is a powerful blood builder akin to liquid oxygen! If you are trying to get pregnant, you can benefit from the high folate content in greens. And if you need to increase your calcium intake, leafy greens beats milk because it doesn’t put the body into an acidic state the way dairy does. Greens with significant amounts of calcium include cooked beet greens, kale, dandelion greens, collards, parsley, turnip greens, and watercress. (An interesting aside: the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates, who said “let food be thy medicine,” relied so heavily on the healing powers of watercress that he built his first hospital next to a stream so he could grow it.)

Other greens to rotate into your diet include spinach, cabbage, mesclun, bok choy, broccoli, and broccoli rabe.

Here are some easy ways to eat more greens:

-Drink them in the morning! Start off your day with an alkalizing green smoothie by mixing the following ingredients in a high-speed blender:

Handful watercress, kale, or Swiss chard
Handful parsley or cilantro 
1-2 stalks organic celery 
1/2 cuke (peeled)
1 organic apple (peeled and cored)
Juice of 1 lemon 
Thumb-sized knob of fresh ginger (peeled)
Filtered water (amount depends on desired thickness)

-Drink the broth or “tea” that’s leftover in the pan after briefly steaming or boiling your greens.

-Grow your own greens either in a container on your porch, in a raised garden bed in your yard, or in a community garden. Alternatively, seek out fresh greens at the farmer’s market or join a CSA to ensure regular delivery of them!

-Get into the habit of having a simple raw mixed greens or kale salad with lunch and dinner.

-Add such green algae superfood supplements as spirulina and chlorella to your daily routine for an added dose of disease-fighting phytochemicals.

Once you crowd out other foods with these nourishing plant-based options, you’ll be glowing with so much positive energy your friends will be green with envy.

Meatless Monday Recipe: Black Bean Burger ( Courtesy of Kathy Kitchens Downey )

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons chopped garlic 
• 1 (15.25-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained 
• 1 teaspoon grated lime rind 
• 3/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten 
• 1 large egg white, lightly beaten 

Preparation

1. 1. Place bun in a food processor; process 4 times or until crumbs measure about 1 cup. Transfer to a bowl.
2. 2. Combine 1 tablespoon oil, garlic, and beans in processor; pulse 8 times or until beans make a thick paste. Scrape bean mixture into bowl with breadcrumbs. Stir in rind and remaining ingredients. With moistened hands, divide bean mixture into 4 equal portions (about 1/3 cup mixture per portion), shaping each into a 3-inch patty.
3. 3. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add patties to pan; reduce heat to medium, and cook 4 minutes or until bottom edges are browned. Carefully turn patties over; cook 3 minutes or until bottom edges are done.
4. 4. Serve on a thin bun or without . Top your black burger with salsa, thin slices of avocado and/ or tomato and lettuce.
5. Enjoy and have fun creating!

Health Monday Motivator: Keeping A Positive Attitude

Keeping a positive attitude can be a challenge.  Many of us are stretched very thin between obligations at work, at home, trying to spend quality time with our children and our spouses, and finally maybe squeezing in a little time for ourselves.  It is often overwhelming, which makes it difficult to keep in mind that each of us has cause to be grateful and an obligation to ourselves, and to those around us, to recognize that gratitude.  The benefits are worth the extra effort.

In addition to changing your outlook and allowing you to get more joy out of life, adopting an attitude of gratitude can improve your overall health and wellbeing.  A study conducted by Dr. Robert Emmons at the University of California at Davis found that grateful people:

• Were less likely to complain of physical symptoms
• Reported lower levels of depression and stress; and higher levels of alertness, enthusiasm, determination, attentiveness, and energy
• Were more successful in reaching their personal goals
• Felt more connected to others
• Slept better
• Maintained a more positive outlook about their future and their lives in general.

Remember to be grateful for inspirations, ideas, and things that come to you everyday!

Have a wonderful, healthy week and eat well, eat healthy and enjoy life!

A better tomorrow starts with what you eat today! Send me your favorite meatless recipes and I will share them with all of our readers.

Wishing you optimal wellness from the inside out,

Lisa

LQ WELLNESS

Professional Wellness Coach

lisaquinnwc@embarqmail.com

973-383-0955

"I believe that water is the only drink for a wise man." ~ Henry David Thoreau ~