Monday, June 3, 2013
Meatless monday
Check out the great website that will help you jumpstart your self in the right direction. Meatless monday is a site that outlines the benefits of cutting down on the consumption of meat.
Bloom where your'e planted!
Plant your own garden using the helpful guidelines from the website linked below. Its fun, easy and will benefit you in the long run. Gardening is a hobby with rewards. Fresh fruits, veggies and herbs will add great flavor to all of your home cooked meals!!!! ENJOY :)
Post work out foods
Brought to you by Fitness Magazine is a list of 6 good snacks to satisfy your post work out hunger...
- Protein Shake with Banana
- Peanut Butter & Banana on Rice Cakes
- Hummus and Pit
- Yogurt and Fresh Berries
- Tuna on Whole Wheat
- Turkey and Cheese with Apple Slices
Vitamins
We all know that vitamins are a key element in staying healthy and fit. We listed below a chart that will help you better understand which foods contain the most vitamins.
Get your groove on!
Zumba is a fitness program that combines Latin music and easy to follow dance moves. Zumba routines incorporate interval training, alternating fast and slow rhythms and resistance training. Zumba's fans say it's so popular because Zumba is a fun way to work out.
Some research indicates that dance-type aerobic workouts like Zumba can improve cardiopulmonary endurance when done at moderate intensity and duration. The bottom line is if you enjoy Zumba, you're more likely to stick with it and more likely to enjoy the benefits of aerobic exercise.
As with any exercise, if a certain movement or position causes you pain, try to modify the workout to avoid the aggravating activities. And anytime you're training with resistance, remember that proper technique is key don't get so caught up in the dance rhythm that you forget proper form.
You can join a zumba class at any dance studio or gym in your area. For any further information or to find classes click the link below.
Buying local is better
Kathleen Connel explains why it is good to buy local...
♦ 1 – Local food tastes better.Most likely it was picked in the last couple of days, which makes it crisp and flavorful. Produce that travels long distances (California, Florida, Chile or Holland) is days older. Sugars turn to starches, plant cells shrink, and produce loses its vitality and flavor.
♦ 2 – Local food is more nutritious.Once harvested, produce quickly loses nutrients. Produce that’s flash-frozen just after harvest is often more nutritious than “fresh” produce that’s on the supermarket shelf for a week. Since local produce is sold right after it’s picked, it retains more nutrients.
♦ 3 - Local food preserves genetic diversity.Large commercial farms grow a relatively small number of hybrid fruits and vegetables that are able to withstand the rigors of harvesting, packing, shipping and storage. This leaves little genetic diversity in the food supply. By contrast, family farms grow a huge number of varieties to extend their growing season, provide eye-catching colors and great flavor. Many varieties are “heirlooms” passed down through the generations because of their excellent flavor. Older varieties contain the genetic structure of hundreds or thousands of years of human selection and may provide the diversity needed to thrive in a changing climate.
♦ 4 - Local food promotes energy conservation.The average distance our food travels is 1500 miles, mostly by air and truck, increasing our dependence on petroleum. By buying locally, you conserve the energy that’s used for transport.
♦ 5 - Local food supports local farmers.The American family farmer is a vanishing breed – there are less than 1,000,000 people who claim farming as a primary occupation. Why? Maybe because it’s hard to make a living: family farmers get less than 10 cents of every retail food dollar. By buying locally, the middleman disappears and the farmer gets full retail price, helping farmers continue to farm.
♦ 6 – Local food builds community.By getting to know the farmers who grow your food, you build understanding, trust and a connection to your neighbors & your environment. The weather, the seasons and the science of growing food offer great lessons in nature and agriculture. Visiting local farms with children and grandchildren brings that education and appreciation to the next generation.
♦ 7 – Local food preserves open space.As you enjoy visits to the country to see lush fields of crops, meadows of wildflowers, picturesque barns and rolling pastures, remember that our treasured agricultural landscape survives only when farms are financially viable. By spending your money on locally grown food, you’re increasing the value of the land to the farmer and making development less likely.
♦ 8 – Local food keeps taxes in check.For every $1 in revenue raised by residential development, governments spend $1.17 on services, which increases taxes. For every $1 in revenue raised by a farm, a forest or open space, governments spend $0.34 cents on services.
♦ 9 – Local food supports the environment and benefits wildlife.Family farmers are good stewards of the land – they respect and value fertile soil and clean water. And their farms provide the fields, meadows, forests, ponds and buildings that are the habitat for many beloved and important species of wildlife.
♦ 10 – Local food is about the future.Supporting local farms today helps keep those farms in your community, ensuring your children and grandchildren have access to nourishing, flavorful and abundant food. When you choose to buy locally, and make your choices known, you raise the consciousness of your family, friends and neighbors.
♦ 1 – Local food tastes better.Most likely it was picked in the last couple of days, which makes it crisp and flavorful. Produce that travels long distances (California, Florida, Chile or Holland) is days older. Sugars turn to starches, plant cells shrink, and produce loses its vitality and flavor.
♦ 2 – Local food is more nutritious.Once harvested, produce quickly loses nutrients. Produce that’s flash-frozen just after harvest is often more nutritious than “fresh” produce that’s on the supermarket shelf for a week. Since local produce is sold right after it’s picked, it retains more nutrients.
♦ 3 - Local food preserves genetic diversity.Large commercial farms grow a relatively small number of hybrid fruits and vegetables that are able to withstand the rigors of harvesting, packing, shipping and storage. This leaves little genetic diversity in the food supply. By contrast, family farms grow a huge number of varieties to extend their growing season, provide eye-catching colors and great flavor. Many varieties are “heirlooms” passed down through the generations because of their excellent flavor. Older varieties contain the genetic structure of hundreds or thousands of years of human selection and may provide the diversity needed to thrive in a changing climate.
♦ 4 - Local food promotes energy conservation.The average distance our food travels is 1500 miles, mostly by air and truck, increasing our dependence on petroleum. By buying locally, you conserve the energy that’s used for transport.
♦ 5 - Local food supports local farmers.The American family farmer is a vanishing breed – there are less than 1,000,000 people who claim farming as a primary occupation. Why? Maybe because it’s hard to make a living: family farmers get less than 10 cents of every retail food dollar. By buying locally, the middleman disappears and the farmer gets full retail price, helping farmers continue to farm.
♦ 6 – Local food builds community.By getting to know the farmers who grow your food, you build understanding, trust and a connection to your neighbors & your environment. The weather, the seasons and the science of growing food offer great lessons in nature and agriculture. Visiting local farms with children and grandchildren brings that education and appreciation to the next generation.
♦ 7 – Local food preserves open space.As you enjoy visits to the country to see lush fields of crops, meadows of wildflowers, picturesque barns and rolling pastures, remember that our treasured agricultural landscape survives only when farms are financially viable. By spending your money on locally grown food, you’re increasing the value of the land to the farmer and making development less likely.
♦ 8 – Local food keeps taxes in check.For every $1 in revenue raised by residential development, governments spend $1.17 on services, which increases taxes. For every $1 in revenue raised by a farm, a forest or open space, governments spend $0.34 cents on services.
♦ 9 – Local food supports the environment and benefits wildlife.Family farmers are good stewards of the land – they respect and value fertile soil and clean water. And their farms provide the fields, meadows, forests, ponds and buildings that are the habitat for many beloved and important species of wildlife.
♦ 10 – Local food is about the future.Supporting local farms today helps keep those farms in your community, ensuring your children and grandchildren have access to nourishing, flavorful and abundant food. When you choose to buy locally, and make your choices known, you raise the consciousness of your family, friends and neighbors.
cheap, easy healthy snacks!
Being healthy doesn't always have to burn a hole in your pocket! Using the link below, we were able to find some GREAT ideas for healthy, tasty snacks. At only 20 cents per serving we were able to enjoy yummy peanut butter oat bites. Go ahead and explore this great web page to find some good ideas for snacks! Its cheap, fun, easy and most importantly healthy! :)
Juicing
We have come accrost a great web page that displays the benefits of jucing as well as some great recipies and success stories!!!
Ingredients to avoid
- Artificial Flavors
- Enriched Wheat
- Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
- Sugar
- High Fructose Corn Syrup
- Potassium Benzoate and Sodium Benzoate
- Artificial Coloring
- Acesulfame-K
- Aspartame
- BHA and BHT
- Propyl Gallate
- Sodium Chloride
- Potassium Sorbate
- Soy Lecithin
- Polysorbate 80
- Canola oil
- Hydrogentated or Fractionated Oils
BEST PRE-WORK OUT FOODS
THE FUEL: Bars
Stacher makes her own power bars, which she says make a great pre-workout snack. (She’s in the process of patenting her recipe, so we can’t divulge all the yummy details just yet—but stay tuned.) You can get a good mix of carbs and protein from many store-bought bars, too. “They’re portable, so they’re great for on-the-go workouts,” says Tzakas-Everett, who adds that bars with a high carb content (like PowerBar Energy bars) are good fuel choices immediately before your sweat sesh.
THE FUEL: Breakfast Burritos
A well-balanced breakfast (think: a mix of carbs, healthy fat, and lean protein) is super important, even if you don’t plan to hit the gym until later in the day, says Tzakas-Everett. It supplies nutrients that will sustain energy levels throughout the day, helps you to avoid overeating later, and maintains lean muscle. That’s why Stacher’s healthy version of a breakfast burrito (which includes eggs, quinoa, kale, avocado, hummus, and goat cheese) is a good choice. “You can eat it on the go, it’s a great mix of essential nutrients, and it tastes great,” Stacher says.
THE FUEL: “Ninja” Smoothies
“I like to mix three fruits into what I call a ‘ninja’ smoothie,” says Stacher. “I look for nutritious, refreshing ingredients that don’t break the bank, like pears, bananas, and kiwi,” she says. Add Greek yogurt, nuts, oats, or flax seeds for an extra boost—but be careful not to go overboard on the fiber-rich foods if you’re planning to work out sooner rather than later—they take longer to digest and can make you gassy, says Tzakas-Everett.
THE FUEL: Rice cake sandwich with cream cheese and honey or jam
This is a great source of energy if you’re planning a short workout first thing in the morning, says Tzakas-Everett. But if your workout is slated for later in the day—or you’re planning a long, intense sweat session—stick to something higher in carbs and protein (like the above options) since this one won’t provide sustained energy. Your body will digest the sugar rapidly—great for a quick boost, not so much for lasting energy or satiety.
(article provided by Women's health magazine)
Stacher makes her own power bars, which she says make a great pre-workout snack. (She’s in the process of patenting her recipe, so we can’t divulge all the yummy details just yet—but stay tuned.) You can get a good mix of carbs and protein from many store-bought bars, too. “They’re portable, so they’re great for on-the-go workouts,” says Tzakas-Everett, who adds that bars with a high carb content (like PowerBar Energy bars) are good fuel choices immediately before your sweat sesh.
THE FUEL: Breakfast Burritos
A well-balanced breakfast (think: a mix of carbs, healthy fat, and lean protein) is super important, even if you don’t plan to hit the gym until later in the day, says Tzakas-Everett. It supplies nutrients that will sustain energy levels throughout the day, helps you to avoid overeating later, and maintains lean muscle. That’s why Stacher’s healthy version of a breakfast burrito (which includes eggs, quinoa, kale, avocado, hummus, and goat cheese) is a good choice. “You can eat it on the go, it’s a great mix of essential nutrients, and it tastes great,” Stacher says.
THE FUEL: “Ninja” Smoothies
“I like to mix three fruits into what I call a ‘ninja’ smoothie,” says Stacher. “I look for nutritious, refreshing ingredients that don’t break the bank, like pears, bananas, and kiwi,” she says. Add Greek yogurt, nuts, oats, or flax seeds for an extra boost—but be careful not to go overboard on the fiber-rich foods if you’re planning to work out sooner rather than later—they take longer to digest and can make you gassy, says Tzakas-Everett.
THE FUEL: Rice cake sandwich with cream cheese and honey or jam
This is a great source of energy if you’re planning a short workout first thing in the morning, says Tzakas-Everett. But if your workout is slated for later in the day—or you’re planning a long, intense sweat session—stick to something higher in carbs and protein (like the above options) since this one won’t provide sustained energy. Your body will digest the sugar rapidly—great for a quick boost, not so much for lasting energy or satiety.
(article provided by Women's health magazine)
TOP TEN SUPER FOODS
Low fat or fat-free plain yogurt
Eggs
Nuts
Kiwis
Quinoa
Beans
Salmon
Broccoli
Sweet potatoes
Berries
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Tackeling the art of cooking Tofu
Ever since I stopped eating meat and dairy I have been struggling with ways to prepare tofu. Tofu is a great source of plant protein and it can be cooked so many different ways. They can make tofu taste like just about anything. The only problem is learning how to master this skill in the kitchen. In my opinion tofu either goes really good or really bad. I have included below some tips on cooking tofu and also a recipe that I created one night for my mother and I.
- Depending on what type of dish you are trying to prepare will be the factor you need to consider when deciding which type of tofu to purchase. For the recipe below I chose extra firm tofu because it is easier to work with than soft tofu.
- Tofu is packaged in water, so you must press the tofu to get excess water out. Tofu is extremely absorbant. This is a good thing because you can infuse it with flavors easily yet it can be a bad thing because if you do not press the tofu correctly it will remain mushy and gross. The way I press tofu is by taking a huge stack of paper towles and placing the tofu between them like a sandwhich. I put one glass dinner plate on top of the tofu and 3 to 4 glass dinner plates on top of the tofu. I change the wet paper towles 2 to 3 times until I feel that enough water is released.
- Cutting the tofu into smaller peices makes it way easier to work with.
Teriakey Tofu
Marinade-
rice vinegar
sugar
light sodium soy sauce
honey
garlic powder
salt
pepper
1. slice the pressed tofu into small rectangles
2. submerge the rectangles into the marinade
3. while you are marinading the tofu slice up, zuchini, onions, garlic, mushrooms
4. boil water for brown rice
5. put olive oil in a skillet and cook veggies until they become soft
6. remove veggies from skillet and put them aside
7. remove tofu from marinade and pat with a dry towel
8. cook tofu in skillet until it is slightly browned
9. Mix in veggies
5. put olive oil in a skillet and cook veggies until they become soft
6. remove veggies from skillet and put them aside
7. remove tofu from marinade and pat with a dry towel
8. cook tofu in skillet until it is slightly browned
9. Mix in veggies
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Learning how to make juice
Recently I have become in love with the juice "Lively lemon" from Nature's corner in Spring Lake Heights. Whenever I go, I get a small lively lemon and I ask them to add a carrot for taste. So my drink ends up consisting of Lemon, carrott, ginger, and apple. I decided I wanted to try to start jucing on my own considering how pricey it can be to buy juice. (small from Nature's Corner is 4.99+ tax). So I went to the store and purchased:
- One large bag of carrots ($2.49)
- One large bag of celery ($2.49) .. (added this because celery juices well and will add more juice to the drink)
- five lemons (on sale 5 for $1.99)
- One bag of 7 apples (on sale for $4.99)
- One peice of ginger root ($2.99 per lb) ... (you dont need alot, its strong!!)
HAPPY JUICING!!!!
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