Meatless Monday: Eat Your Fruits and Vegetables

One Step At a Time...

You Can Go Meatless

For All Three Meals

Double Up on Your Fruits and Vegetables

It’s not rocket science: Eating fruits and vegetables is good for you even your grandmother knew this. However, we still don’t seem to meet our daily recommended amount of fruits and vegetables. In fact, a new research study published in the British Journal of Nutrition reports that most adults around the world need to at least double their current consumption of fruits and vegetables. The majority of adults worldwide—60-87 percent—fall short of the recommended daily minimum of five fruit and vegetable servings set by the World Health Organization. Scientists are especially concerned that this fruit and vegetable gap means that people are not getting enough of the vital phytochemicals found abundantly in these food groups, many of which are linked with specific benefits, such as brain and heart health.

What can you do to up your fruit and vegetable intake? Try these tips:

• Eat at least one fruit or vegetable at breakfast, such as fruit with cereal or yogurt or sautéed vegetables with eggs.
• Include at least one serving of fruits and vegetables at lunch, such as a vegetable-based soup and/or salad, and a serving of seasonal fruit.
• Include ample vegetables in entrees, such as stir-fries, stews, and casseroles.
• Enjoy fruit for dessert at each meal.
• Make vegetables, such as snow peas, baby carrots, and cherry tomatoes, your go-to snack.

Healthy Meatless Recipe:

Stuffed Butternut Squash

(Adapted from Inspiring Healthy Living)

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash,cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed

1/4 cup cooked quinoa (you can also substitute any other leftover grains you may have lying around, such as brown rice or bulgur)

1/4 cup black beans, rinsed and drained

1 tbsp olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup mixed vegetables, chopped(use peppers, onions, tomatoes and mushrooms)

1 green onion, thinly sliced

2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

2-3 tbsp feta cheese*, crumbled

1/2 tbsp Parmesan cheese*

*Feel free to omit the cheese to make this recipe vegan-friendly, or substitute with non-dairy cheese.

Directions:

• Place the butternut squash, cut side down, on a baking tray lined with tinfoil. Bake in the oven at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes, until tender.
• While the squash is roasting, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan on medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chopped vegetables and saute until softened, about 4-5 minutes. You can also adda pinch of chili flakes if you want a bit of heat.
• Remove the frying pan from the heat. Add the quinoa, black beans, green onion, cilantro, and feta cheese to the vegetables; mix to combine.
• Carefully turn the squash over so it looks like a bowl. Stuff the squash with the vegetable/quinoa/bean mixture; sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Place the squash back in the oven and broil for about 2 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown.
  
  
  
  
  

Enjoy and Bon Appetit!

Healthy Weekly Motivator

Be Careful of Your Thoughts

Be aware of your daily thoughts. Eliminate negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones. It sounds simple and it is. However, it won’t become easy until you have developed it into a new habit. In time, you will think positive thoughts naturally and manifest your desires into your reality.

Remember Green Goes with Everything

Clean Body

Let's face it: we all want to look good. But we want to be healthy also. As with household cleaners, many of the ingredients in ordinary beauty and personal-care products have not be proven safe. Just because it comes in a fancy bottle doesn't mean it is good for you. You can make better choices by learning about what to avoid.

Go into your bathroom and take stock of all your lotions and potions. Read the labels. Start with your shampoo, makeup, or moisturizer. Notice how much fragrance is in your products, and ask yourself, “Do I really need scent in these products?” Pick one product a week to replace with a safer, greener choice, or make a clean sweep. Contact LQ Wellness for cleaner, toxic free choices.

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

“Thoughts become things, so choose the good ones.”

~Mike Dooley~