Meatless Monday: Awesome Reasons To Go Meatless

One Step At a Time...

You Can Go Meatless

For All Three Meals

Climate change and global warming are high on our list of worries these days, and many of us wonder how we can make a difference. According to the Environmental Defense Fund, if every American skipped just one serving of meat per week, this would be the same as taking 8 million cars off the road. This would reduce overall meat production and supply transport, thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions considerably.

If you are thinking about going meatless -- at least some of the time -- the trick is to shake up your menu gradually and experiment a bit. Start with one of your favorite recipes and see how simple it is to replace the meat with a vegetarian alternative. Beans make a delicious, protein-rich filling for Mexican favorites like tacos or burritos.

Try topping homemade pizza with portabella mushrooms instead of pepperoni or sausage. Don't give up too many of the foods you enjoy -- just be creative and learn to prepare them in new, healthier ways. Even moderate changes can make an enormous difference in your health and contribute to the welfare of our planet.

Diets heavy in meat really rack up the grocery bill. Pound for pound, animal proteins cost three times the amount of beans or whole grains, and going meatless now and again can make a serious dent in your food budget. Unlike the minimal storage life of meat, canned or dried ingredients used in many vegetarian recipes stay fresh in your pantry for months at a time, making bulk purchasing a further savings for the savvy shopper.

Is there anyone out there who doesn't need to watch calories? Going meatless can be very good for your waistline. Diets higher in complex carbohydrates (whole wheat, cornmeal, oats, potatoes, brown rice and beans) are low in fat and fill us up quickly, translating to lower calorie intake and fewer cravings between meals. Vegetarian meals are also richer in vitamins and minerals, especially when combined with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.

There is growing evidence that human resistance to certain antibiotics is linked to similar substances used to prevent illness and promote weight gain in animals raised in factory farms, where most commercial meat comes from. Limiting quantities of poultry and red meat can help protect our immune systems from harmful byproducts and even contagious disease.

Climate change and global warming are high on our list of worries these days, and many of us wonder how we can make a difference. According to the Environmental Defense Fund, if every American skipped just one serving of meat per week, this would be the same as taking 8 million cars off the road. This would reduce overall meat production and supply transport, thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions considerably.

If you are thinking about going meatless -- at least some of the time -- the trick is to shake up your menu gradually and experiment a bit. Start with one of your favorite recipes and see how simple it is to replace the meat with a vegetarian alternative. Beans make a delicious, protein-rich filling for Mexican favorites like tacos or burritos.

Healthy Meatless Recipe:

SPICY SPAGHETTI SQUASH WITH BLACK BEANS

(Adapted from Whole Foods )

Ingredients:

• 1 medium spaghetti squash
  Filling
• 2 teaspoons olive or corn oil
• 1/2 cup red onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeño chili, seeded, minced
• 1/2 cup red pepper, chopped
• 1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained well
• 1/2 cup sweet corn, frozen or fresh
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• All of the reserved cooked squash, about 4 cups
• 1/3 cup cilantro, minced
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:

Roast squash in a 375°F oven for 50 minutes until tender or cut squash in half and place in a microwave dish with 1/2 inch of water, lightly covered with plastic wrap for 20 minutes on high until tender. cool. When cool, scoop flesh from squash halves leaving the shell intact for stuffing.

 For the filling, heat oil in a large pan and sauté red onion, jalapeño chili and red pepper for 2 minutes. Add beans, corn and chili powder; sauté 1 minute longer. Add cooked squash, cilantro, lime juice and salt, cook 1 minute until heated through.

 Fill squash halves with filling, mounding mixture in the center.

Serves 4.

Enjoy and Bon Appetit!

Healthy Weekly Motivator

Keeping a Food Log

According to the National Weight Control Registry—a database of information about people who have lost at least 30 pounds and kept it off for at least a year—one factor many of these individuals have in common is their consistency with keeping a food log or journal. If you feel that you would like to lose weight and the conditions in your life are right, then a food log could be a useful tool in your efforts. Before you can make changes in the way you eat, it is important to become aware of what you eat, when you eat, and why you are eating. A food log or journal can help you with this. Keeping a food log will feel more natural to people who tend to be more systematic and detail-oriented; however, anyone can connect with their inner bookkeeper to enhance their efforts in successful weight loss.

Remember Green Goes With Everything

Green Fitness and Exercise Tips

Have you heard of green exercise?

Green exercise is simply any physical activity that you do out in nature! There is growing scientific evidence showing that our modern world is increasingly detached from nature–and that exercising in natural area helps reduce the risk of mental illness and improves your sense of well being.

Green exercise gets even greener when you leave your car at home and use your body to get yourself to work or to run your errands.

Exercising in nature has these benefits:

• Biking: Many cities have paths and lanes specific for bikes; this makes it safer to exercise or commute using your bike. Want motivation? Try calculating the amount of gas you are saving!

• Outside: When you take your exercise on the road and get outdoors all sorts of great things happen. You meet your neighbors. You get a bit of sunshine (which increases your Vitamin D ). Then there are the little miracles that happen such as a seeing a hawk in flight or a shy fox in the woods. Even better, take your children to see the waterfall at the end of the nature hike at a nearby park, or to see the sunrise reflecting off of the water.

• Healthy is as healthy does: Getting fit often means that you make better choices about your health and the environment. When you start eating more vegetables and fruit you realize that the best ones you can find are often at the local farmers’ market and buying local is great for the environment.

• You lead and others will follow: When your neighbors see you out exercising, it reminds them that they too should get out and enjoy the world.

Here are some ideas to incorporate exercise and help the environment:

• Try biking, running, or walking to work. If you live far away, try driving part of the way and using your body power for the rest of the way.

• Volunteer to help build or maintain a trail.

• Start or help out at a community garden.

• Many areas of the country sponsor a cleanup (beach, trail, etc.) during the year. Join them—and be sure to bring your kids or grandkids. Build a love for the outdoors and for helping preserve our environment.

Please make a commitment this week to get outside more often and enjoy this wonderful world. Find opportunities to give back to our planet. Taking care of yourself and the environment—what a great combo!!

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

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“To eat is a necessity but to eat intelligently is an art.”

~LaRochefoucauld~