Meatless Monday: A Whole Foods Lifestyle Can Be Affordable

One Step At a Time...

You Can Go Meatless

For All Three Meals

A whole-foods lifestyle is possible for low-income individuals and families. Good health, vibrant health, begins with whole foods. Most of our grandparents cooked, gardened, and ate what was available. They didn't cook meals to satisfy each person in the family. Their children ate what was prepared.

So many things are tied to vibrant nutrition. Children do better at school. Adults do better at work. A whole host of medical conditions (obesity, hypertension, diabetes, etc.), which often plague the poor, are positively impacted by a whole-foods diet, but we have to want it. We have to want it for ourselves and for our families. We have to want change. Change that incorporates mostly whole foods will change lives.

Cost-wise, we are negatively affected if we buy convenience foods, eat out a lot, don't cook from scratch, don't plan meals, don't garden, and don't have a mindful food practice in place. Eating anything that has been boxed, packaged, cooked, or served to you or for you hikes up the price of our food costs. Period. Avoid this option whenever possible if money is an issue. Eating out is an obvious source of hiked-up food costs. If we're really trying to keep a lid on those costs, this should be used as a rare treat.

Cooking meals from scratch is the best thing we can do. These meals are more flavorful. They have a better chance of including the whole family in the process of meal planning. Cooking from scratch helps to ground the idea that good food and good food preparation matter. We get to experiment with taste, color, texture, spices, seasonings. More than anything else, if we want to change how we and our families view food, we'll need to be hands-on as often as possible. It matters.

Planning meals helps us incorporate healthful tips and foods. It helps us be more mindful about what we are trying to do for ourselves. For our families. Meal plans also help us cut down on costs. If we know ahead of time what we want, we can compare prices, adjust our lists, take advantage of great deals. Meal plans can also help us create healthy versions of fast food (convenience eating).

Everyone can garden. I think everyone should garden. If we choose to garden, we can. The cost savings is ridiculous. Cornell Cooperative Extension has a program through which we can exchange seeds, save seeds, or access free seeds. Buying packets of seeds costs very little compared to what we get in return. Need land ... a little plot of dirt? Ithaca has a community garden. We can pay $40 annually (and scholarships are available if that amount is unaffordable); after that, cash outlay is for seeds only. The garden provides tools and everything else we need to make our garden grow. It's great exercise, you get gobs of great veggies for a minimal cash outlay, and your neighbors will love you because there is usually plenty of extra. There are also small strips of land around apartments; there is container gardening and community-supported agriculture. Possibilities abound for lowering costs and changing lives. We have to be willing to do what is necessary.

Mindful planning. Mindful cooking. Mindful living. We spend purposeful time thinking about what we want for ourselves and our families. We make a plan. We think about our impact on the Earth and each other and we decide to act differently. We find out what whole foods are. We incorporate them into our diets. We do it in such a way that it saves money. We garden because it's good for ourselves, our families, our spirits. We garden because it's possible and it helps make our lives better. And because the food that graces our tables from the garden is so incredibly tasty.

We can save ourselves. We are unnecessarily afflicted by diseases and unhealthful conditions. A whole-foods dietary practice can and will change that. Let's get with the program. It is not only cost-effective, but could help put money in savings. Be willing to cook, experiment, try. Be willing to do what is necessary to change your life. It's a journey. I'm right there on the journey with you and so is LQ Wellness.

Shared from Patrice Lockert Anthony

Healthy Meatless Recipe:

Spinach, Artichoke, & Feta Strata with Fresh Greek Salsa

(Adated from EA Stewart )

Ingrediendts:

Strata

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing pan

1 large sweet onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped

18 ounces jarred or canned artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

3 cups baby spinach, chopped

6 large eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

8 ounces feta cheese

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

5 cups cubed bread {regular or gluten-free}

Salsa

2 cups cherry tomatoes, sliced

1/2 cup kalamata olives, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and grease a 9 x 13 baking pan, or a 10 x 14 oval baking dish, with olive oil.
2. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat, and add olive oil and onions. Saute for 1-2 minutes, or until soft. Add garlic, oregano, and artichoke hearts, and stir for another 1 -2 minutes. Add spinach and stir until wilted. Remove veggies from heat. and set aside.
3. Combine eggs, milk, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl, and whisk until well blended. Stir in feta cheese and set aside.
4. Add cubed bread to veggies and pour mixture in to greased pan, then pour egg and cheese mixture on top, and bake for 40 minutes.
5. While the strata is baking, make the salsa by combining the tomatoes,olives, oregano, and olive oil in a bowl. You can also make this ahead of time and keep in the refrigerator until ready to use.
6. To serve, portion out a piece of strata, and place salsa on top.
   
   
   

   

   
   
   
   

Enjoy and Bon Appetit!

Healthy Weekly Motivator:

Fit In Your Favorite Foods

You shouldn’t have to deprive yourself of comfort foods to stay healthy! It’s important to incorporate healthier versions of your favorites into your lifestyle. It can be as easy as changing an ingredient or using a different cooking method.

You can use applesauce when baking, try whole grain flour and pasta, replace salt with spices, or grill your veggies with olive oil instead of cooking them in butter.

This week prepare your usual recipes with a twist! If you’re having guests over, get them to try the updated dishes and add their favorites to your rotation.As you celebrate July Fourth you can eat healthy and still enjoy the day!

Have a great week and Happy July Fourth everyone! 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

“Variety is the very spice of life that gives it all it’s flavour.”

~William Cowper~

Meatless Monday: Pass Up Processed Meats For Good Health

One Step At a Time...

You Can Go Meatless One Day For All Three Meals

If you favor sizzling bacon and salty slices of ham, you might want to reserve these menu choices for special occasions, thanks to a growing body of science that says “No” to consuming processed meats. Researchers have linked higher consumption of these meats—bacon, sausage, hotdogs, processed deli meats like ham and salami—with a number of poor health outcomes, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and premature death.

Heart disease: 

A Harvard meta-analysis, that included data on more than 1.2 million people found that processed meats were linked to a 42 percent higher risk of coronary heart disease (Circulation, 2010).

Type 2 diabetes: 

Data from Harvards’ Health Professionals Follow-up Study, which followed more than 442,000 participants, revealed that eating a daily 50-gram (1.75 ounces) serving (about one hot dog or sausage) was linked with a 51 percent increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Cancer: 

While processed meat intake has been associated with a number of cancers, the most conclusive link is with colorectal cancer. In the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study, that included more than 500,000 adults, a significant increased risk of colorectal and lung cancer was observed with higher intake of processed meat. The American Institute for Cancer Research warns against eating any amount of processed meat in order to reduce cancer risk. 

Premature death: 

A study published in March 2012 in the Archives of Internal Medicine evaluated data from more than 120,000 men and women over 28 years. The researchers found that a daily serving of processed meat increased the risk of death by 20 percent.

Why the risk?

There are several plausible reasons why processed meats may raise your risk for disease. These meats are often very high in saturated fats, which are known to raise “bad” LDL cholesterol levels, heart disease risk, and promote inflammation, a root of chronic disease. An ounce of pan-fried bacon (about one strip) has about 4 grams of saturated fat, 20% of your budget for the whole day. In addition, processed meats are typically very high in sodium; an ounce of pepperoni contains over 450 milligrams, about 20 percent of the daily allotment for healthy individuals. Keeping your sodium intake down can help protect you from high blood pressure and stroke. And more: Processed meats are prepared with carcinogen-forming compounds, such as nitrites. Your healthiest bet is to keep these processed meats to a minimum or avoid them entirely. Focus on fresh, minimally processed animal foods such as chicken, turkey, and fish, as well as more plant-based proteins, such as soy foods, beans, lentils, peas, nuts, and seeds.

Healthy Meatless Recipe: 

Garden Veggie Egg Bake

(adapted from Taste of Home )

Looking for a healthy day-starter? Children will actually enjoy eating their veggies when they’re baked into this cheesy, nutrition-packed egg dish.

Ingredients

• 5 eggs
• 2 cups egg substitute
• 1/2 cup 2% cottage cheese
• 1/3 cup shredded pepper Jack cheese
• 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 1 medium zucchini, chopped
• 2 cups fresh broccoli florets
• 2 cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

Directions

• In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, egg substitute, cheeses, pepper and pepper sauce. Stir in the vegetables. Transfer to an 11-in. x 7-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray.
• Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting. Yield: 6 servings.

Enjoy and Bon Appetit! 

Healthy Weekly Motivator: 

Do the Best for Your Breasts

Breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer diagnosed in American women. And although it's more rare, men can develop breast cancer, too. Fortunately, eating a healthy and balanced diet (especially high in fruits and vegetables), exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking, and limiting alcohol consumption may all lower your risk of developing breast cancer.

This week, evaluate your current breast cancer prevention practices and check to see when your next screening should be. If you're between the ages of 50 and 74, you should have a mammogram once every 2 years. If outside of this age range, talk with your physician about your risk factors and when you should get screened for breast cancer.

Have a great week everyone 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 Shaklee? Take a look at products available here!

Make sure to follow me on Twitter @lq_wellness

"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming 

gardeners who make our souls blossom."

 ~ Marcel Proust ~

Are you struggling with excess weight that won't come off no matter what you try?

Do you wish you could have more energy and less stress in your daily life?

Would you like to take charge of your health so you can feel as good as you did when you were younger?

Do you know what you should be doing to feel and look better but would like someone to support you and hold you accountable for making those changes?

I'm here to help! Working together with you, I will create a personalized program that will help you feel your best and reach your health goals.  I'll support you every step of the way to help you achieve lasting changes that will make you healthier and happier. 

Take the first step and schedule a complimentary ½ hour health breakthrough session to find out how an integrative approach to health can help you.

Meatless One Day A Week/Bok Choy Tempeh Tacos

One Step At a Time....

You Can Go Meatless One Day For All Three Meals

Summer’s Health Bounty: Green Beans

The folklore. Green beans and other shell beans, or “common beans,” are traced to a common ancestor in Peru. The beans traveled through South and Central America via migrating Indian tribes and then to Europe by way of Spanish explorers home from the New World. Once rare and expensive, the slender vegetable became more widespread around the 19th century, first appearing in French cuisine. They are known by the French as haricots verts, which translates literally to “green beans,” and also are commonly called string beans and snap beans.

The facts. Identified by the same scientific name (Phaseolus vulgaris) as other shell beans, such as black beans, pintos and kidneys, green beans are unique in that they are picked very young, when the inner beans are just forming in the pod, and they are typically eaten fresh with the pod, rather than from a dried form. Green beans are rich in a diverse supply of antioxidant nutrients, including flavonoids and carotenoids, as well as vitamins C and A. One cup of cooked green beans packs 20 percent of the Daily Value (DV) of vitamin C, 17% DV of vitamin A, and 25% DV of bone healthy vitamin K—all in just 44 calories.

The findings. Though red and yellow vegetables are most associated with health-promoting carotenoid pigments, green beans also belong to those ranks. A study in the February 13, 2009 American Journal of Applied Sciences identified the presence of the carotenoids neoxanthin, violaxanthin, lutein, and beta carotene in green beans. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of green beans have been highlighted in studies such as the June 24, 2010 Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Green beans also are a good source of absorbable dietary silicon, an important mineral in connective tissue and bone health, according to the September 2009 British Journal of Nutrition.

The finer points. Green beans are at their best all summer long—May to October—though they’re available fresh, frozen and canned year round. Pick through a selection at a farmers market or open store bin to choose those that are the most vibrant green color, with no browning or bruises, smooth to the touch, and firm to ensure a fresh “snap.” Refrigerate them unwashed in a plastic bag up to seven days. Boiling and steaming retains the best color and flavor, though they may also be roasted, sautéed or served raw as a snack or appetizer.

Healthy Meatless Recipe : Bok Choy Tempeh Tacos

                              ( adapted from Kristy at Keepin' It Kind )

Ingredients:

For the tempeh filling: 

½ cup vegetable broth
¼ cup Bragg Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce or tamari)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tsp liquid smoke
1 tsp Sriracha sauce (hot sauce)
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp paprika
1 8-oz. package of tempeh, broken into small chunks

For the rest of the taco: 

3 small bunches of baby bok choy (about 2 cups)
½ red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 carrot, grated
1-2 T sesame seeds
8 taco shells (your favorite)

Directions:

1. Marinate tempeh: Combine all the liquid ingredients and spices in a shallow bowl, then add the broken up chunks of tempeh.  Make sure all the pieces are mostly covered with marinade.  You may need to add a bit more vegetable broth or water.  Refrigerate and let marinate for at least 1 hour.
2. Heat a large shallow saucepan over medium heat for about 1 minute.  Add the tempeh along with the marinade and the bell pepper and sauté for about 10 minutes until most of the liquid is gone.  If it gets too dry and starts sticking, lower the heat and add a little vegetable broth to deglaze.
3. Once the liquid is mostly gone and the tempeh is tender, lower the heat to medium low and add the bok choy and the carrots.  Continue to sauté until bok choy just starts to wilt.   Remove from heat and mix in the sesame seeds.
4. Load up your prepared taco shells.  About 1/2 - 3/4 cup in each taco shell.
   
   Notes: Serve warm with some avocado or guacamole, or perhaps some peasemole.  

PEASAMOLE

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups frozen peas, defrosted
• 1 T + 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 T lime juice
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp paprika
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 T onion, finely diced
• 2 T sun-dried tomatoes
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

• Combine the first seven ingredients in a food processor, and process until mostly smooth.  Add the onion and sun-dried tomatoes, and pulse a few times.  Add salt and pepper if necessary.  Refrigerate 1 hour before serving.

Enjoy and Bon Appetit! 

Healthy Week Motivator: Be A Buzz Kill

Most of us see nothing wrong with our morning cup of coffee, but excessive caffeine can have a negative impact, especially if you’re already stressed. Caffeine increases your blood pressure, heart rate and adrenaline levels, making stressful situations seem and feel worse than they actually are!

This week, try reducing your caffeine consumption, especially if you know you have a stressful day ahead. Replace your usual fix with extra sleep at night and more water throughout the day. 

Are you struggling with excess weight that won't come off no matter what you try?

Do you wish you could have more energy and less stress in your daily life?

Would you like to take charge of your health so you can feel as good as you did when you were younger?

Do you know what you should be doing to feel and look better but would like someone to support you and hold you accountable for making those changes?

I'm here to help! Working together with you, I will create a personalized program that will help you feel your best and reach your health goals.  I'll support you every step of the way to help you achieve lasting changes that will make you healthier and happier. 

Take the first step and schedule a complimentary ½ hour health breakthrough session to find out how an integrative approach to health can help you.

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

  

 

Do you have a 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

 

" No matter how  slow you go, you are still lapping everyone on the couch."

                                      ~ Sparkpeople.com ~