Meatless Monday: Healthy Eating Strategies from the American Heart Association

One Step At a Time...

You Can Go Meatless

For All Three Meals

The Latest Diet Strategies for Heart Health

The American Heart Association after three and a half days presented insight into nutrition relating to heart health. Karen Collins, Environmental Nutrition, will share her insights into the AHA presentation.

Saturated and trans fats: Still targets. Despite questions raised by headlines, limiting saturated fat remains important for heart health, according to Robert Eckel, MD, director of the Lipid Clinic at University of Colorado Hospital. The average American needs to cut saturated fat in half to meet the new American Heart Association recommendation of no more than five to six percent of calories daily, which would reduce LDL (“bad”) cholesterol by up to 11 mg/dL. If you eat about 2,000 calories a day, that’s 11 to 13 grams (g) of saturated fat a day. A regular fast food cheeseburger has 5-12 g of saturated fat, for example. While this goal may be challenging for some, fortunately, it’s not all-or-nothing: any drop in saturated fat reduces risk.

Trans fat, from partially hydrogenated oils in many processed snack and convenience foods, poses the greatest heart risk. Amounts are dropping, but it still warrants checking nutrition labels to avoid trans fat as much as possible.

Evidence no longer supports foods’ cholesterol content as an important influence on blood cholesterol or heart risk, except possibly for people with diabetes or extremely high LDL levels. The biggest implication is that you may not need to limit eggs as much as advised in years past, although unlimited use won’t fit with tight recommendations on saturated fat, either.

How to replace saturated fat? What do you include in your diet in exchange for saturated fat? Here are multiple strategies:

Polyunsaturated fat (found in nuts, seeds, and canola, soybean and other vegetable oils) brings the biggest drop in LDL cholesterol.Action examples: Replace cheese in a salad with almonds or walnuts. Switch one meal a week from red meat to fish; you’ll get more of both omega-6 and the especially heart-healthy omega-3 fats.Monounsaturated fat (found in olives, olive oil, avocado, and peanuts) brings a smaller, but still strong, decrease in LDL.Action example: Replace sour cream with sliced or mashed avocado.

Protein consumption is another way to reduce saturated fat—if added primarily from plant sources, with smaller increases in egg whites and fish.Action example: Modify your usual casseroles, pasta dishes and stews, replacing all or some of the meat with tofu, lentils or beans.

Carbohydrate as a replacement for saturated fat doesn’t lower LDL quite as much as the options above, but choices high in fiber and nutrients can bring multiple benefits. High-carbohydrate foods protect heart health when they supply dietary fiber and health-protective phytochemicals and nutrients.

Action example: Have fruit with breakfast instead of bacon. Eat nutrient- and fiber-rich fruit instead of cookies, sweet rolls, donuts and ice cream (desserts are one of the top contributors to saturated fat in the average American diet). Let whole grains and vegetables star in mixed dishes.

A culture of health. Major studies show that people who eat a healthy diet, don’t smoke, get regular physical activity throughout the week, and maintain a healthy weight and waist size prevent about 80 percent of heart attacks and 93 percent of type 2 diabetes, as well as substantially reducing their risk of stroke and cancer.

Healthy Meatless Recipe:
Kale and Quinoa Minestrone

(Adapted from Cooking Classy)

Ingredients:

• 1 large yellow onion, diced (2 cups)
• 3 medium carrots, diced (1 1/2 cups)
• 2 stalks celery, diced (1 cup)
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 cups diced, fresh zucchini (from about 2 small)
• 2 cups green beans, cut into 1-inch segments
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (32 oz) carton unsalted or low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 3 cups water
• 3 1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
• 3/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 3/4 cup dry quinoa
• 1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15 oz) can chick peas, drained and rinsed (aka garbanzo beans)
• 2 (heaping) cups chopped fresh kale, thick ribs removed
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice

• Shredded parmesan cheese, for garnish (omit or use vegan parmesan if making vegan)

Directions:

1. In a large stockpot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add diced onion, carrots and celery and saute about 5 minutes, until softened. Add in zucchini, green beans, red bell pepper and saute 2 minutes, then add garlic and cook 1 minute longer.
2. Add in vegetable broth, crushed tomatoes, water, parsley, rosemary, thyme, granulated sugar, season with salt and pepper to taste and bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and allow soup to gently boil, uncovered for about 20 minutes.
3. Add in dry quinoa then cover and cook 15 - 20 minutes longer.
4. Add cannellini beans, chick peas, kale and lemon juice and cook, uncovered, until kale has wilted, about 5 minutes. Serve warm garnished with parmesan cheese.

Enjoy and Bon Appetit!

Healthy Weekly Motivator

Remember Green Goes with Everything

Your Baby's Laundry

The message I want to share with you today is pretty simple: babies and children are more vulnerable to all kinds of potentially harmful chemicals... chemicals that are included in many of the most common baby products. But you can change that. You can dramatically reduce your baby's vulnerability by making safe choices. Green Choices.

And the great thing, the wonderful thing, is that you actually do have choices. I'm going to recommend you use Shaklee's Get Clean Fresh Laundry Concentrate Liquid. And the great thing is, you don't have to separate baby's laundry from your own; it all goes into the same wash.

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

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“Invent your world. Surround yourself with people, color, sounds and work that nourish you.”

~Sark~

Meatless Monday:Pair Beans and Grains for Good Health

One Step At a Time...

You Can Go Meatless

For All Three Meals

Meet the dynamic food duo of beans and whole grains— and let it star on your dinner plate several times each week.

Beans and grains have sustained cultures around the world for centuries. The pairing of the two began out of necessity, due to shortages of animal protein and abundant plant foods during the earliest days of agriculture, but has long since become a sustained marriage that has shaped culinary tradition, from Indian dal with rice to Middle Eastern hummus with pita, and Mexican black beans with corn tortillas. It’s no coincidence that bean-grain pairings are also an economical protein source, serving up nutrition and health benefits as well as global culinary adventure.

Beans + grains = good nutrition. On their own, beans and grains, while protein-rich, may be a bit low in one or more of the nine essential amino acids that make up a complete protein. But when consumed together in a healthy diet pattern, the amino acids are pooled to meet the body’s protein needs, which explains the prevalence of these pairings in so many cultures.

Both beans and grains are good sources of dietary fiber, which most people don’t get enough of, according to Jill Nussinow, MS, RD, author of Nutrition CHAMPS: The Veggie Queen’s Guide to Eating and Cooking for Optimum Health, Happiness, Energy and Vitality. Dietary fiber promotes digestive health, controls blood sugar and provides a feeling of fullness. Studies have shown that foods containing dietary fiber, like beans and whole grains, may lower the risk of colorectal, pancreatic and colon cancer, lower cholesterol levels, and improve heart health.

Beans and whole grains are also rich in beneficial plant compounds, such as lignans, which have been shown to lower cholesterol levels and reduce risk of cardiovascular disease; and phytic acid, which has been shown in some studies to stop abnormal cell growth and shrink tumor size. This combo also delivers a generous dose of B vitamins, including heart-healthy folate and thiamin, which strengthen the immune system. A one-cup serving of cooked black beans with brown rice provides more than 9 grams (over 30% Daily Value) of dietary fiber and 10 grams (over 15% DV) of protein, as well as over 30% DV of folate and 20% DV of thiamin.

Pair beans and grains in your kitchen. The many colors, shapes, textures and flavors of beans, including soybeans, peas and lentils, and whole grains, like quinoa, wheat berries and farro, are a great way to boost your culinary cache. Add them to favorite recipes for a fresh twist—whole-wheat pasta salad with red beans, navy bean soup with bulgur, or black bean tacos with fresh corn salsa for Meatless Monday. This age-old coupling is also a gateway to exploring the diverse cuisines of the world. Tabbouleh with kidney beans is rich in Middle Eastern flavor, an edamame and vegetable stir-fry with rice has Asian flair, and Hoppin’ John, the classic black eyed pea and rice dish, is Southern comfort at its best.

“A veggie burger is one of the best ways to eat beans and grains together,” Nussinow says. She cooks brown rice with lentils—or any combination of whole grain and bean—and makes a veggie burger by adding mushrooms, onion, sun-dried tomato and a seasoning of choice—Italian, Thai curry, Middle Eastern spices or Mexican spices. Try different bean-grain combinations to optimize enjoyment and nutrition. Nussinow says, “The more variety people get, the better. That way, you know you’re getting a variety of nutrients.” —Lori Zanteson

Healthy Meatless Recipe:

Kale Salad With Crispy Eggplant

(Adapted from Maria of Bean a Foodie)

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch dinosaur kale(Tuscan or Lucinato), washed, cleaned and chopped
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese shavings
• 1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
• 1 medium to large eggplant, sliced in to 1/2″ rounds
• 1 cup whole wheat panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup za’tar spice
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 1 egg, scrambled with 2 tbsp water
• 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
• non-stick cooking spray
• 2 tbsp – 1/4 cup lemon vinaigrette

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. Set out 3 separate flat bottom bowls or baking dishes. Add the flour to one dish. Add eggs and water to another dish, scramble to combine. In the third dish add in both bread crumbs, za’tar spice and ground pepper.
3. Prepare a large sheet pan or baking pan with parchment, cooking spray or a silpat. Working in small batches first coat eggplant rounds in the flour. Then move to egg and thoroughly coat. Finally transfer eggplant into the breadcrumb mixture. Press down lightly to ensure a thick coating of breadcrumbs.
4. Place on sheet pan . Lightly spray the tops of the eggplant with non stick cooking spray.
5. Bake at 425 for about 20-25 minutes. As many oven temperatures differ, monitor eggplant to make sure it does not burn. The eggplant rounds should turn golden brown and the breadcrumbs toasted and crunchy when finished.
6. While the eggplant bakes, toss the chopped kale with the lemon vinaigrette – add more or less dressing based on your taste. Plate salad and sprinkle on the pine nuts and parmesan shavings.
7. When the eggplant is finished baking, top each salad with 2-3 crispy rounds.

Enjoy and Bon Appetit!

Healthy Weekly Motivator

Start the Week with Exercise

Monday is the perfect opportunity to start fresh. Hit the reset button and kick off the week with exercise.Move It Monday supplies you with great resources to get active. Check out the equipment-free workout routines, motivational quotes or exercise tips.

Remember Green Goes with Everything

A Healthier Environment, A Healthier You

We've all heard the saying, “You are what you eat.” But the same can be said of what you drink, what you breathe, and anything else you are exposed to. How healthy your environment is has a direct impact on your physical health, and nowhere is this more apparent than in your own home. Making simple choices like switching the products

you use daily is just one way that you can create a healthy atmosphere for your family to live in.It gives you peace of mind to know that the ingredients in these cleaning solutions won't harm your loved ones but still remove the germs and bacteria that could. At the same time, you can feel a sense of accomplishment that you are contributing to a cleaner ecosystem by using products that are easy on the environment and take up less space in landfills.

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

“Use wisely your power of choice.”

~ OG Mandino ~

Meatless Monday: Reaches Out To School Children and Administrators

One Step At a Time...

You Can Go Meatless

For All Three Meals

School is back in session and, in many schools, so is Meatless Monday.

School systems such as the Albuquerque Public Schools in New Mexico, the Ann Arbor Public Schools in Michigan, and the Arlington County Schools of Virginia have all implemented Meatless Monday programs.

Now Meatless Monday is in hundreds of public and private schools, offering weekly lessons in healthy eating. With more school cafeterias joining the movement all the time, Meatless Monday is becoming a resource to help kids develop a lifetime of good eating habits.

School districts like San Diego Unified School District have implemented the program. Thanks to advocates like SDUSD Trustee Kevin Beiser and President John Lee Evans a county where 28 percent of the children are overweight or obese will have the chance to improve their diets and avoid heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and other chronic preventable conditions.

Now school districts like Philadelphia Public Schools which serves 85,000 meals daily, serves only meat-free options on Monday which serves 650,000 meatless meals daily—as one of the largest school systems in the United States—goes meatless on Monday. So hundreds of thousands are reducing their meat intake and increasing their consumption of whole foods—fruits, vegetables, and grains.

And very recently Wyandanch, NY  and South San Francisco Unified School District joined Bellevue School District in Washington,
Granite School District in Utah, Miami-Dade County Public Schools in Florida, and the 100+ schools and school systems involved in the meatless movement

How can you get your local school involved?

• Attend a school board meeting in your district and tell them about Meatless Monday, point to successful examples like San Diego Unified.

• Submit a signed petition to your school board president supporting a Meatless Monday resolution.

• Talk to a teacher at your child’s school, ask them what’s the best way to get an audience at the school explain to them the importance of Meatless Monday, make them your ally.

• Check out the K-12 toolkit on MeatlessMonday.org for more resources and ideas.

Take positive action and get your children's school involved.

Adapted from MeatlessMonday.org

Healthy Meatless Recipe:

Rustic Tomato Zucchini Pie with Cornmeal Crust

(Adapted from Completely Delicious)

The ingredients are flexible; you can use any seasonal veggies for the filling made with vegetables, ricotta, and herbs. It is a great savory pie that uses up summer vegetables. And don't worry if your pie-making skills are not that advanced; this recipe has fantastic instructions for making pie crust in the food processor.

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed
• 2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 1-2 tablespoons ice cold water
• 1 egg + 1 teaspoon water, for egg wash

Filling:

• 3/4 cup ricotta milk, whole or skim
• 1 large egg
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 cup parmesan cheese, divided
• 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced

Directions:

To make the crust:

1. Add flour, cornmeal, and salt to a food processor.
2. Pulse to combine. Add the cold cubed butter and pulse 3-4 times until the cubes are broken up a bit.
3. Combine the egg yolks with 1 tablespoon of the water. Add to the food processor while it is running. Continue to run until mixture begins to come together into a ball, about 5-10 seconds.
4. Add more water, if necessary. Shape into a disk, cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

To make the filling and assemble the pie:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Combine the ricotta cheese, egg, garlic, salt, pepper, basil, thyme, and 3/4 cup of parmesan cheese.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the crust dough out into a rough 12-inch circle. Spread the ricotta cheese mixture in the center of the dough, leaving about 3-4 inches clear around the edges. Top with the sliced zucchini and tomatoes. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup parmesan cheese. Season with more salt and pepper.
• Fold the edges of the dough up and over the filling. Brush with egg wash. Bake on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper until crust is golden, 40-45 minutes.
• Let sit 15 minutes before serving. Can be served hot or at room temperature. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days.
  
  
  
  
  

Enjoy and Bon Appetit!

Healthy Weekly Motivator

Focus On Lifestyle Changes

Many people really struggle with working healthy habits into their lifestyles. Keeping a positive attitude is the first hurdle for most folks. One way to be proactive is to allow a little room in your expectations for less than perfect behavior.

By focusing on permanent lifestyle changes rather than fad diets and fitness trends, you will increase your chances for success.

Here are a few suggestions to keep you on track:

Don’t torture yourself with things you don’t like and won’t stick with.

Write down what you want to accomplish and be as specific as possible. When your motivation is low, review what you wrote. Your own words are very powerful.

Solicit social support. Know what kind of support you need to reach your goals. It might be one friend to confide in or a larger, more structured support group.

Set realistic and flexible goals.

Remember Green Goes with Everything

Going Green Save You Money

The one and only Basic H2 Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate is a versatile, super-concentrated cleaner with a thousand uses. It can replace many of the products you’re probably buying now… window cleaners, all-purpose cleaners, degreasers, floor cleaners, tub and tile cleaners, and more – saving you money and space. For example, you’d have to buy 5,824 bottles (769 mL each) of Windex^® Original Glass Cleaner to get the same amount of cleaning uses as just one 473 mL bottle of Basic H2. Stop living in a toxic home and discover Basic H2. Some of the most questionable chemicals used regularly in household products are ammonia, chlorine, phenols, dichlorobenzene, and formal- dehyde and can be found under your kitchen sink. Basic-H is nontoxic and safe for your family.

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

“Good habits formed at youth make all the difference.”

~Aristotle~

Meatless Monday: What is a Flexitarian Diet?

One Step At a Time...

You Can Go Meatless

For All Three Meals

Sample a Semi-Vegetarian Lifestyle with a Flexitarian Diet

Q. What does it mean to be a flexitarian, and is it a good thing?

A. Today’s buzzword is flexibility, which also applies to eating styles. A flexitarian is someone who is a flexible vegetarian or a semi-vegetarian, one who limits animal protein intake without giving it up completely. This lifestyle is becoming more popular as people become more health-conscious, as well as eco-conscious, considering that livestock production is responsible for an estimated 18 percent of greenhouse gas emissions.

The best of both worlds. The debate about whether the vegetarian way is the healthiest way to live rages on. In a study published in the April 2006 issue of Nutrition Reviews, vegetarians were found to have a lower body weight, and also reduced risk of hypertension, cancer and diabetes. In contrast, some evidence suggests that vegetarianism may be linked with increased risk of osteoporosis. Vegetarians, especially vegans, were found to have lower bone mineral density than non-vegetarians, according to a study in the October 2009 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. It can be challenging for vegetarians and vegans to get important nutrients such as protein, iron, zinc, vitamin B12 and omega-3 fatty acids. The flexitarian diet is one way to marry the benefits of eating less meat and more plant-based foods.

Sampling flexitarianism. If you’d like to give this lifestyle a try, take the advice of Dawn Jackson Blatner, R.D., L.D.N., dietitian and author of The Flexitarian Diet (McGraw-Hill, 2008.) Start by going for your own flexible eating level. If you’re a beginner, you might want to go meatless only two days per week; more advanced flexitarians might enjoy up to four meatless days per week. The key to flexitarian success is to consider meat as a condiment in your dishes, not as the main event. And it’s not just about what you don’t eat, it’s about what you do eat—a variety of healthy plant foods such as whole grains, seeds, nuts, fruits and vegetables. Blatner’s book also includes delicious vegetarian recipes to put flavor and appeal into meatless meals. Remember, whatever diet you decide to follow—whether it’s vegetarian, flexitarian or omnivorous—make sure that it’s well-balanced and provides good sources from all of the major food groups: protein (meat, legumes, nuts, seeds, soy foods), dairy (or high-calcium foods), whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

Healthy Meatless Recipe:

Delicious Black Bean Burritos

(Courtesy of Jessie )

Ingredients:

• 4 (10 inch) flour tortilla
• ¼ cup canola oil
• 2 small onions chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 (15 ounce ) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 teaspoons minced jalapeno peppers
• 6 ounces cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. Wrap tortillas in foil and place in preheated 350 degree oven. Bake for 15 minutes or until heated through.
2. Heat oil in a 10 inch skillet over medium heat. Place onion, bell pepper, garlic, and jalapenos in skillet, cook for 2 minutes stirring occasionally. Pour beans into skillet, cook 3 minutes stirring.
3. Cut cream cheese into cubes and add to skillet with salt. Cook for 2 minutes stirring occasionally. Stir cilantro into mixture.
4. Spoon mixture evenly down center of warmed tortilla and roll tortillas up. Serve immediately.
5. Serve with your favorite tossed green salad.
   
   
   
   
   

Enjoy and Bon Appetit!

Healthy Weekly Motivator

Resolve Emotional Issues

Many if not all of us have unresolved emotional issues from sometime in our lives. Working through these issues can help reduce the impact they will have on your physical health. Seeing a therapist or counselor is one way to bring emotional issues to resolution. Some other ways include breath work (such as yoga breathing), meditation, prayer, journaling and visualization.

To help prevent unresolved emotional issues from having an impact on your physical health, take the time to address them. Making your emotional health as much a priority as your physical health will serve you well in the long run. Your relationships will benefit and you’ll be healthier and happier.

Remember Green Goes With Everything

Clean Conscience

Are you poisoning your home?

Fact:of all injuries to young children caused by cleaning products, exposure to chlorine bleach is the most common.

Fact:The most common types of injury from bleach and other cleaning products are poisoning ( 68.4% ), chemical burn (15 % ), and skin/eye irritation ( 10.4% ).

Fact: According to the American Association of Poison Control centers, bleach is responsible for more than 38,000 reported poisonings per year.

Fact: As many people die from chlorine bleach poisoning as from rattlesnake and spider bites combined.

For a safe alternative for you and your family click 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

“Wisdom is nothing more than healed pain.”

~ Robert Gary Lee ~