Meatless Monday: Want to Eat Healthier? Make a New Year’s Resolution Every Monday!

One Step At a Time...

You Can Go Meatless

For All Three Meals

New Year’s Day and the whole month of January is a time for making resolutions. For some it’s a time to think about eating healthier, exercising more, or getting on and sticking to a budget. A great way to get started on all three of those resolutions is pledging to go meatless on Mondays! But why Mondays?

According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology, 120 million Americans make New Year’s resolutions, but unfortunately only 8% of resolution-makers are able to keep them. Making Monday your day for habit change could be the key to sticking to your resolutions this year!

Once a week means less stress
By committing to a resolution you have to keep just one day a week, you take the pressure off. Give yourself a reasonable goal, like eating differently or moving more once a week, and you’ve set a small and achievable goal for the whole year.

Mondays set you up for success
It turns out that starting a healthy change on a Monday automatically sets you up for success for the rest of the week. A recent study by FGI Research found that most respondents felt Monday was the best day to begin a new exercise routine, start eating healthier, or engage in other activities that reduce stress. Research also shows that when you make a healthy choice on Monday, you’re much more likely to make healthier choices all week long.

Start fresh every week instead of once a year
In that same FGI study nearly one out of three of respondents saw Monday as a fresh start. If you’ve kept your resolution, then Monday is an ideal time to recommit. And if you’ve slipped and let your resolutions slide? Monday makes an excellent opportunity to get back on track.

Dr. Larry Cheskin, director of the Johns Hopkins Weight Management Center, credits a recurring Monday check-in as a key element in the success of his weight-loss program. “Using Monday as the day to set goals, celebrate progress, and get back on track after a weekend slip up can help people stay on track for the long haul.” Whatever your New Year’s resolution is for 2016, committing to making a change on Mondays could lead to 52 happy new weeks!

Healthy Meatless Recipe:

Butternut Squash Black Bean Chili

(Courtesy of Top Chef’s Fabio Viviani )

Butternut squash and black beans are spiced with ancho and chipotle chili powders in this hearty winter warmer, which also packs fragrant notes of garlic and cumin. This squash spin on an American classic proves the adage “if you think chili needs meat, you don’t know beans!” 

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 butternut squash, peeled and diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons ancho chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomatoes with green peppers
• 4 teaspoons lime juice
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Directions:

Place the oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the butternut squash and onion and cook for about 4 minutes, or until the onion softens slightly. Season with the garlic, chili powders, cumin and salt. Stir to ensure the spices are evenly distributed and cook for about 30 seconds more, or until they become fragrant.

Add the stock and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the butternut squash is tender.

Add the beans, tomatoes and lime juice to the pot. Increase heat to high and cook for about 4-5 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced slightly. Remove from heat, stir in the cilantro .

Enjoy and Bon Appetit!

Healthy Weekly Motivator

Try A Monday Mile

Get your health back on track with the Monday Mile. Organize a walk, jog or run with friends, family and co-workers!

Remember Green Goes with Everything

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Have a great week and  a wonderful start to a healthy, happy 2016! 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

"Those who think they have no time for exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness."

~Edward Stanley~

Give Meatless A Try: Learn To Eat More Vegetables

One Step At a Time...

You Can Go Meatless

For All Three Meals

The USDA recommends five to nine servings per day of vegetables and fruits, and that doesn't include French fries. Many people don't grow out of their childhood habit of hating vegetables, but summer is a perfect time to try and make those valuable veggies taste great. Farmers' markets are in full swing and carry the tastiest varieties of produce, so pick some up and start experimenting. Many people don't like vegetables because they buy them at the grocery store, where the long process of harvesting, shipping and then sitting at the store has leached flavor out of them. Try eating the babies - baby carrots (the ones with the greens still attached, not the small version of larger carrots bagged up in the store), artichokes, squashes and turnips are more tender and flavorful than their grown-up counterparts. Fat is fabulous for livening up veggies' flavor -- try a sprinkle of an infused oil, butter or cheese.

And dipping veggies keeps the fat count lower than pouring it on. If you want to include cruciferous veggies - - and all their fabulous health benefits - try blanching. Steam them for 60 seconds, then plunge into a cold-water bath to stop the cooking and prevent bitter flavors they tend to develop. If you tend to eat a lot of sweets, then include sweet vegetables, like sweet potatoes, squash and peas, to indulge your sweet tooth. And if all else fails, fry thin slices of hardy veggies like carrots, zucchini and squash. Even parsnips can be delicious when fried. Shave them thin with a knife or mandolin, dunk them in hot vegetable oil quickly, drain and sprinkle with kosher salt. Find a way to enjoy veggies and reap their health benefits.

Healthy Meatless Recipe:

Cheesy Vegetable Stuffed Eggplant

(Adapted from Chef Meg of SparkPeople)

Ingredients:

• 2 small eggplants *
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
• 1 small zucchini, chopped
• Pinch of black pepper
• 1⁄2 cup tomato sauce
• 1 cup low-sodium petite diced canned

• tomatoes (or 4 plum [Roma] tomatoes, peeled, deseeded, and 
diced)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 4 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese 


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375° F. Prepare a baking pan

with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Trim the stems from the eggplant, and cut

them in half lengthwise. Cut the pulp from the

center of each half, leaving about 1⁄2-inch shell

of flesh.

3. Cube the eggplant pulp into 1⁄2-inch pieces.

Place a large sauté pan over moderate heat,

then add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the

onion, garlic, zucchini, black pepper, and the

cubed eggplant. Cook, stirring until very tender,

about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the tomato sauce,

tomatoes, thyme, and basil; and heat through.

4. Lightly spray the cut edges of the eggplant

with nonstick cooking spray, then spoon one quarter

of the vegetable mixture into each shell.

Top each eggplant with one-fourth of the Monterey

Jack and Parmesan.

5. Place the stuffed eggplants in the prepared

baking pan and bake until the eggplant is hot

and the cheese is bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes.

* Use small eggplants of about 1⁄2 pound

each if you can. The larger the eggplant, the

more bitter it will be. The small, thin Japanese

eggplants would also work well here.

Enjoy and Bon Appetit!

Healthy Motivator:
Get Up and Go

10,000 steps a day (roughly 5 miles and 500 calories)—this is what the Surgeon General recommends all healthy adults accomplish on an average day. The good news is that you can generate these steps through regular daily activities in addition to an exercise routine. However, given the current activity level of most Americans, it’s a very lofty goal. The average sedentary individual walks only 1,000 to 3,000 steps a day (www.thewalkingsite.com). Therefore, instead of thinking about 10,000 steps, consider increasing your daily activity level and the number of steps you take.

Those who spend most of the day behind a desk may be able to add extra steps with a little advanced planning. In addition to taking the stairs, parking in the back of the parking lot, and walking to your coworkers’ offices, consider forming a walking group with your colleagues. Not only will this give you an opportunity to get out and exercise, it also will give you the chance to get to know your coworkers in a non-work environment. Another plus is that you can keep each other accountable for the daily walks. There is no excuse when you have others waiting for you. Groups could meet before work, at lunchtime, or right after work and walk different routes around your office.

Getting in 10,000 steps a day will take a bit of work on your part, but by just making the effort to walk more, you will be able to reach that goal in no time.

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 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

"Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly plants"

~ Michael Pollan ~

Meatless Monday:Save Money By Going Meatless Once A Week

One Step At a Time...

You Can Go Meatless

For All Three Meals

Eating less meat is not only good for your health and the health of the planet but it could also save you serious cash.What's the most expensive item on your grocery list? Meat, any type of meat, and that's why planning a few meatless meals can give your grocery budget a huge boost! It is also a way to decrease your cholesterol and saturated fat intake, giving your heart a much needed break.

Monday is a great day to start your meatless meal project. Why? For us, Monday is the busiest day of the week. We just came off a two day weekend and now it's time to go back to work, do laundry, clean house, and whatever else seems to need attention. Monday is just not a really good day for us to do a lot of cooking, and that's why we are now having Meatless Monday.

Whether at home, in supermarkets, or in restaurants, starting the week by going meatless can really boost your budget and you can feel better.

If you're looking for a quick and easy way to knock $20, $30, or even $40 off your grocery bill each week, then consider cutting out meat. Cutting out just one or two meaty meals a week could save you some serious cash. If you're concerned about the taste and quality of meatless meals, don't worry. There are countless recipes online that taste good, are good for you, and cost very little to make.

For those of you on the fence about eating meatless meals, my advice is just to give it a try. Eating one or two meatless meals a week doesn't mean you'll become a vegetarian (we still eat meat), nor does it mean you have to commit to it every night. If you decide you don't like it, then no big deal-just go back to eating meat. However, you may find that meatless meals are a smart and tasty way to save some money, just like we did.

While meat is a great source of protein, there are also many great meatless protein sources to keep your muscles fueled.

If you have a husband like mine, who can't imagine life without meat, then each week in this blog there are great meatless meal suggestions that even my meat-lover husband admits he likes. My husband was very skeptical but agreed to at least Try and TASTE. To his surprise, the meatless meals tasted delicious and he feels healthier.

Healthy Meatless Recipe:

Eggplant Polenta Lasagna

(Adapted from Joy Bauer)

This healthy spin on traditional lasagna is loaded with veggies and bursting with flavor. Polenta is used in place of noodles and goat or feta cheese in place of ricotta in this layered one dish wonder.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 cup cornmeal
• a little nonstick cooking spray, for preparing the pans
• 2 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 large eggplant, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
• black pepper, to taste
• 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce, divided
• 3 ounces soft goat cheese or feta cheese, divided

Directions:

Prepare an oven to 375 degrees. Bring 4 cups of water and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt to a boil in a medium pot over medium-high heat.

Slowly pour the cornmeal into the pot, whisking constantly. Bring the mixture back up to a boil and reduce heat to a low as soon as it boils. Simmer, whisking intermittently, for about 20 minutes, or until the polenta is thick, but maintains a spreadable consistency.

Prepare a grill pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place the grill pan over medium high heat and grill the zucchini slices and eggplant rounds for about 4 minutes per side, or until softened and charred on both sides. Sprinkle the veggie slices with another 1/4 teaspoon salt and black pepper as they cook on the grill pan. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Prepare a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish with more nonstick cooking spray. Spread half the marinara sauce on the bottom of the dish. Pour half the polenta over the marinara and spread it in an even layer using a spatula. Place half the grilled zucchini and eggplant on the polenta with half of the cheese and top the veggies with the remaining polenta. Layer the remaining zucchini and eggplant on top of the polenta and pour marinara sauce over everything.

Crumble the remaining goat or feta cheese to top the lasagna. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, cook 10 minutes more. Serves 4.

Enjoy and Bon Appetit!

Healthy Weekly Motivator:

Dare To Walk Alone

While the buddy system works for some, others are more comfortable exercising or being active alone.

Solo time at the gym, during yoga or while walking may be a great way to clear your mind, release stress and get the most from your workout.

Think about your workout sociability this week. Are you cut out to go solo or do you prefer a fitness friend? Plan an activity that suits your style.

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

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

“As I see it, every day you do one of two things:

build health or produce disease in yourself.”

~Adelle Davis~