Sweet Foodie

Sunday Inspiration: Power

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 14 Sep 2014 17:46:00 +0000

A thought for a fresh new week...

Fresh Friday Presents: Gala Apples, 2 Ways

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 12 Sep 2014 17:29:00 +0000

Welcome to the first Fresh Friday post! Every Friday, I'll highlight one of the freshest fruits or vegetables in the market, and show you two fast and healthy ways to prepare it.

This week: Gala Apples

Recipes: A single-serve no-bake baked apple & a nut butter snack plate

: A healthy snack that tastes like apple pie...so...yeah you should go ahead and make that.

Gala apples are at their best right now. Their sweetest, juiciest, crunchiest best. To celebrate Gala season, I've got two crazy easy ways to enjoy them. Without an oven. Or added sugar. And you only need 4 minutes to get them ready. That's less than five minutes! Go get yourself some Galas!

1) No-Bake Baked Apple (Forget the oven, all you need is 2 minutes in the microwave. A satisfying snack but naturally sweet enough for dessert)

Serves: 1 Time: Less than 5 minutes

Ingredients:

1 Gala apple, cut into 8 wedges
Dash of cinnamon
Handful of halved walnuts (about 1/4 cup)
1 date, chopped
~3 ounces of plain Greek yogurt* (half of a single-serve container)

Directions:

Microwave the apple wedges for 2 minutes on high
Sprinkle a dash of cinnamon on the apples
Spoon the yogurt over the apple-cinnamon combo
Sprinkle walnuts and dates on top

*I love the flavor and richness of 2% Greek yogurt, and the amount of fat helps the dish feel decadent and filling. Feel free to use whatever fits best into your daily diet. For help choosing the healthiest yogurt, see my recommendations on ABC News for Health Magazine.

2) Gala Apple Snack Plate

: A snack plate looks like more food than individual pieces, and you can't overdo the PB since it's pre-portioned

Serves 1 Time: Less than 5 minutes

Ingredients:

1 Gala apple, cut into 8 wedges
2 tablespoons of nut butter (I used Justin's Maple Almond Butter)
Handful of raisins (about 1/8 cup)

Directions:

Assemble the apple slices, nut butter and raisins on a plate

: Celebrate Gala Season TWO Ways!

Stay tuned for Bartlett pears next Friday!

25 Decadent-yet-Healthy Pumpkin Recipes

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 11 Sep 2014 17:46:00 +0000

25 of the most decadent-looking (but surprisingly healthy) pumpkin recipes are all in one place.

I can’t wait any longer – I’ve seen gourds and mini pumpkins at the farmers market so I think it’s okay for this to be Thursday’s Roundup. Right? Yes.

They all lean toward the healthy side - you won't find any recipes with 2 sticks of butter or 2 cups of sugar here. Instead, you'll see whole grains, spices, and thoughtful portions of fat and sweetener.

They're sorted into 3 popular categories: Breads & Muffins, Breakfast, and Dessert (but no pies - they'll come in November).

(Click on the link or photo to open the recipe in a new window)

Breads & Muffins

1. Honey Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bread - Cookie + Kate

: Photo Credit - Cookie + Kate (with permission)

2. Healthier Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins - Confessions of a Bright-Eyed Baker

: Photo Credit - Confessions of a Bright-Eyed Baker (with permission)

3. Pumpkin Pie Muffins - Snixy Kitchen

: Photo Credit - Snixy Kitchen (with permission)

4. Pumpkin Spice Mini Muffins - Foodlets

: Photo Credit - Foodlets (with permission)

5. Pumpkin Muffins with Streusel Topping - 30 Seconds with A&J

: Photo Credit - 30 Seconds with A&J (with permission)

6. Chai Pumpkin Bread - PaleOMG

: Photo Credit- PaleOMG (with permission)

7. Whole Wheat Pumpkin Muffins - The Lean Green Bean

: Photo Credit - The Lean Green Bean (with permission)

8. Flourless Pumpkin Pie Muffins - Running With Spoons

: Photo Credit - Running with Spoons (with permission)

Breakfast

9. Baked Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal with Vanilla Bean Caramelized Bananas - Ambitious Kitchen

: Photo Credit - Ambitious Kitchen (with permission)

10. Crunchy Pumpkin Spice Granola - Sally's Baking Addiction

: Photo Credit - Sally's Baking Addiction

11. Pumpkin Granola - Two Peas & Their Pod

: Photo Credit - Two Peas and Their Pod (with permission)

12. Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats - My Whole Food Life

: Photo Credit - My Whole Food Life (with permission)

13.Pumpkin Pancakes - Snack Girl

: Photo Credit - Snack Girl (with permission)

14. Pumpkin Spice Breakfast Quinoa - Once Upon a Cutting Board

: Photo Credit - Once Upon a Cutting Board (with permission)

15. Apple Cinnamon Pumpkin Crockpot Steel Cut Oats - The Lean Green Bean

: Photo Credit - The Lean Green Bean (with permission)

16. Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal, 3 Ways - Will Cook for Friends

: Photo Credit - Will Cook for Friends (with permission)

17. Pumpkin Oat Pancakes - Cookie + Kate

: Photo Credit - Cookie + Kate (with permission)

Dessert

18. Healthy Pumpkin Pie Chocolate Oatmeal Bars - Running with Spoons

: Photo Credit - Running With Spoons (with permission)

19. Iced Oatmeal Pumpkin Spice Cookies (Gluten-Free) - SnixyKitchen

: Photo Credit - Snixy Kitchen (with permission)

20. Vegan Pumpkin Pecan Scones with Maple Glaze - Cookie + Kate

: Photo Credit - Cookie + Kate (with permission)

21. Lightened-Up Pumpkin Spice Bars - Sally's Baking Addiction

: Photo Credit - Sally's Baking Addiction (with permission)

22. Cinnamon-Sugar Pumpkin Snack Cake - Sweet Treats & More

: Photo Credit - Sweet Treats & More (with permission)

23. Pumpkin Peanut Butter Skillet Cookie - The Fountain Avenue Kitchen

: Photo Credit - The Fountain Avenue Kitchen (with permission)

24. Salted Pumpkin Crème Brûlée - 30 Seconds with A&J

: Photo Credit - 30 Seconds with A&J (with permission) -

25. Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bars - Chocolate Covered Katie

: Photo Credit - Chocolate-Covered Katie (with permission)

Wednesday Lunch Date #4: Feng Shui for Fall, Chai Pumpkin Bars & 4-Minute Workouts

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 10 Sep 2014 18:28:00 +0000

Another week has passed, and we're already sitting down for our Wednesday lunch date again! Can you believe it? I'm so glad to have this time to share the latest news with you and I encourage you to share your favorite articles, recipes, and healthy stories from the week in the comments below.

Here's what I've been up to this past week:

My Recent Press:

10 Heart Healthy Foods That Aren't - Patricia Bannan for Livestrong.com

What I've Cooked Lately That Was AWESOME:

Gnocchi with Tomatoes, Basil and Olives - Giada De Laurentiis (Pin It)
Mediterranean Smothered Chicken - Iowa Girl Eats (Pin It) - One of my husband's favorite meals. Made for friends who came to dinner and it was a hit. For dessert Adam made...
Dark Chocolate Tart with Gingersnap Crust - Smitten Kitchen (Pin It)

What I’m Reading:

Food News & Trends:

Carrots Find Roots on Restaurant Menus - Nancy Kruse for Nation's Restaurant News (requires registration)
America is slowly - but surely - becoming a nation of tea drinkers - The Washington Post
General Mills to acquire Annie's in $820m deal to expand natural & organics portfolio - Food Navigator USA

Healthy Eating:

USDA pilot boosts local control of school food purchases - The Packer (in other words, a USDA pilot program will let schools use federal $$ to purchase local produce for school lunch)
Mouth on Fire? The Best (and Worst) Ways to Soothe the Burn Fast - Greatist
50 Light and Healthy Soup Recipes - Skinnytaste
Kitchen Hack: Freezing Yogurt in an Ice Cube Tray - The Cutting Board
How Long Is It Really Safe to Keep Foods? (Infographic) - Cleveland Clinic
4 Healthy Breakfasts That'll Leave You Hungry An Hour Later - Women's Health (a.k.a. how to give your breakfasts staying power!)
How to Make a Healthy, Tasty Sandwich - Keri Gans for U.S. News and World Report

Exercise:

Short On Time? Try This 4-Minute Workout - Tracy Hicks for MindBodyGreen
Wine and Exercise: A Promising Combination - The Atlantic (not before, during, or immediately after exercise though)
- Presentation of Results at the European Society of Cardiology
What Style of Yoga Is Best for You? - Greatist
Put the Physical in Education - The New York Times

Lifestyle (Home, Relationships, Organization, Psychology, Happiness, Art, DIY Crafts):

6 Feng Shui Tips To Bring Good Energy Into Your Home This Fall - Amanda Gibby Peters for MindBodyGreen
A Moving Day Kitchen Survival Box - The Kitchn
5 Tiny Investments That Will Elevate Your Baking - The Kitchn
7 Inspiring Ideas for Organizing All the Stuff Under Your Sink - The Kitchn

What I'm Salivating Over:

Breakfasts:

Morning Maple Cranberry Pecan Oat Bars - Skinnytaste (Pin It)
Banana Oat Greek Yogurt Muffins - Running with Spoons (Pin It)

Salads & Veggie Sides:

Farmer's Market Salad - The Cutting Board (Pin It)
Chopped Apple Salad with Toasted Walnuts, Blue Cheese and Pomegranate Vinaigrette - Bobbby Flay (Pin It)
Spinach, Apple and Mushroom Salad with Maple Vinaigrette - Let's Have Mixture (Pin It)
Grilled Sweet Potato Wedges - Eating Bird Food (Pin It)

Main Courses:

Pizza di Spaghetti (a recipe for leftover spaghetti) - Giada DeLaurenti (Pin It)
Slow Cooker Moroccan Chicken with Apricots, Olives and Almonds - Food and Wine (Pin It)
Chicken Marbella - Silver Palate Cookbook (Pin It)
Naan Pizzas with Garlicky Roasted Tomatoes and Ricotta - 30 Seconds with A&J (Pin It)
21 Vegan Freezer-Friendly Recipes - Oh She Glows (Pin It)

Desserts:

Cinnamon-Sugar Pumpkin Snack Cake - Sweet Treats & More (Pin It)
Pumpkin Peanut Butter Skillet Cookie (grain & gluten free) - Fountain Avenue Kitchen (Pin It)
Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars - Chocolate Covered Katie (Pin It)
Chai Spiced Pumpkin Bars - The Kitchn (Pin It)
Ginger Pumpkin Pudding Cakes - Martha Stewart (Pin It)
Oatmeal Struesel Baked Apples - Sweet Treats & More (Pin It)

Snacks:

Oatmeal Dark Chocolate Granola Bars - FANNEtastic Food (Pin It)

New Cookbook Alerts!

One Pot: 120+ Easy Meals From Your Skillet, Slow Cooker, Stockpot, and More - Editors of Martha Stewart Living (releases Sept 23rd)
The Kitchn Cookbook: Recipes, Kitchens & Tips to Inspire Your Cooking - The Kitchn (releases October October 7th)

Helpful Tweets:

"Putting a vanilla chai tea bag in my oats before microwaving is the best idea I have had in a while. New staple in my diet!" - @NutritionNerd

"What #diet do I favor? Wholesome foods in sensible combinations, and let the nutrients sort themselves out" - @DrDavidKatz

"[My Son] ordered okra tonight, which surprised me, but then confessed that he confused it with orzo." - This one just made me laugh :) - @TheScramble

Fun Food Quiz!

Can We Guess Your Favorite Food? - Buzzfeed (I got steak. Not my favorite food by any means, but they did say that means I'm a "really awesome person" so I'll take it.

The Week in Photos:

While I love cooking some nights, other times I like/need/must have wholesome dinners that are really quick to assemble. Here's one of my favorite easy chicken dinners. Step 1) Buy a Rotisserie chicken. Step 2) Make rice in a rice cooker (easiest!), or on the stove (In the photo, it's garlic & herb rice pilaf). Step 3) Steam green beans in them microwave (takes just a few minutes). Step 4) Slice up a raw vegetable of your choice - tomatoes, cucumbers, sugar snap peas, etc. If you used a rice cooker, the dinner took about 5 minutes to put on the plate. A 5 minute chicken dinner awaits!

: One super simple chicken dinner

On Tuesday night, I went to a truly lovely dinner hosted by the California Table Grape Commission at Republique in Los Angeles. Did you know 99% of the commercially grown table grapes harvested in the US are from California? The chef incorporated cooked grapes into each course in creative ways alongside sea trout crudo, wild atlantic striped bass, and Sonoma duck breast. My favorite part of the meal was the dessert: Warm California Grape Clafoutis. It's a French dessert where fruit (traditionally cherries) are baked in a custard batter. Ours was piping hot served with a dusting of powdered sugar and a scoop of freshly made almond ice cream. During dinner, Ellie Krieger talked about how she uses grapes in her kitchen at home (like roasting, yum!) and we all shared some of our favorite grape recipes. They gave us each a personalized box of red, green and black grapes that had been harvested TWO days ago and two fabulous cookbooks. I can't wait to cook something from the grape book! (I already have a well-loved copy of Ellie's cookbook, which I reference often on the blog).

: Dinner with the California Table Grape Commission at Republique in LA

Be well! See you for another mid-week lunch date next Wednesday!

Any favorite recipes, new products, articles, or quizzes you'd like to share?

Sunday Inspiration: I Can.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 07 Sep 2014 20:43:00 +0000

Just a thought before you start a brand new week...

Your Ultimate Guide to No-Bake Granola Bars & Bites

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 04 Sep 2014 16:34:00 +0000

Whether you're going back to school, sending kids off with lunch boxes or just want to make it easier to eat healthfully, this list of no-bake granola bars and bites is for you. No need to turn on an oven. They are all low-stress, whole foods snacks that typically require nothing more than a bowl, a spoon, and refrigerator.

Without further delay, here are 25 of the best looking no-bake bites & bars!

BITES:

1. Pumpkin Raisin Bites - To Live and Diet in LA

Photo credit - To Live & Diet in LA (with permission)

2. Almond Peanut Butter Balls - Lori Zanini

Photo Credit - Lori Zanini (with permission)

3. Energy Bites - Cooking Classy

Photo Credit - Cooking Classy (with permission)

4. Peanut Butter and Dark Chocolate Energy Bites - Eat Good 4 Life

Photo Credit - Eat Good 4 Life (with permission)

5. Original Fudge Babies - Chocolate Covered Katie

Photo Credit - Chocolate Covered Katie (with permission)

6. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Babies - Chocolate Covered Katie

Photo Credit - Chocolate Covered Katie (with permission)

7. Peanut Butter Brownie Balls - Fit Foodie Finds

Photo Credit - Fit Foodie Finds (with permission)

8. Peanut Butter Oatmeal Energy Bites - The Live In Kitchen

Photo Credit - The Live In Kitchen (with permission)

9. Oatmeal Cookie Energy Bites - C&J Nutrition

Photo Credit - C&J Nutrition (with permission)

10. Peanut Butter Chocolate Oat Balls - Texanerian Baking

Photo Credit - Texanerin (with permission)

11. Gluten Free Peanut Butter Banana Fudge Balls - Texanerin Baking

Photo Credit - Texanerin (with permission)

12. Sunflower and Pumpkin Seed Energy Balls - Carla's Confections

Photo Credit - Carla's Confections (with permission)

13. Nutty Cookie Dough Bites - Wholify

Photo Credit - Wholify (with permission)

14. Pumpkin Energy Bites - Gimme Some Oven

Photo Credit - Gimme Some Oven (with permission)

15. Chocolate Coconut Almond Balls - Fannetastic Food

Photo Credit - Fannetastic Food (with permission)

16. Holiday Cookie Energy Bites - Running with Spoons

Photo Credit - Running with Spoons (with permission)

17. Chocolate Coated Gingerbread Bliss Balls - Nutritionist in the Kitch

Photo Credit - Nutritionist In the Kitch (with permision)

BARS:

18. Granola Bars - The Lean Green Bean

Photo Credit - The Lean Green Bean (with permission)

19. Protein Bars - The Lean Green Bean

Photo Credit - The Lean Green Bean (with permission)

20. Homemade Chewy Granola Squares - The Six O'Clock Scramble

Photo Credit - The Six O'Clock Scramble (with permission)

21. Apricot & Dark Chocolate Bars - Nutritionist in the Kitch

Photo Credit - Nutritionist In the Kitch (with permission)

22. Apple Cinnamon Energy Bars - Confessions of a Bright-Eyed Baker

Photo Credit - Confessions of a Bright Eyed Baker (with permission)

23. 5 Minute Peanut Butter Granola Bars - Fannetastic Food

Photo Credit - Fannetastic Food (with permission)

24. Chocolate-Drizzled Cranberry and Pistachio Bars - Confessions of a Bright-Eyed Baker

Photo Credit - Confessions of a Bright-Eyed Baker (with permission)

25. Healthy Dark Chocolate No-Bake Bars - Confessions of a Bright-Eyed Baker

Photo Credit - Confessions of a Bright Eyed Baker (with permission)

Wednesday Lunch Date #3: Fontina Frittatas, Sesame Street Celery, & Workouts for the Overworked

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 03 Sep 2014 16:51:00 +0000

Hi! So glad you could make our Wednesday lunch date this week. (If you're on the West Coast like me, I'll "see" you for lunch in a few hours!)

I have a lot to catch you up on! Please feel welcome to share any of your favorite health news and recipes in the comments below.

Here's what I've been up to this past week:

What I've Cooked Lately That Was AWESOME:

Spinach, Mushroom, and Fontina Frittata - The Fountain Avenue Kitchen (Adam made this for dinner with Italian chicken sausage, and I contributed a farmer's market fresh salad. Are there enough words to express how good this frittata is? No. No, there are not)
Whole-Wheat Date Nut Bread - Whole Living (I tore this recipe out of the now-defunct Whole Living years ago and finally got around to making it. So awesome. Topped with whipped cream cheese? Perfection! Baking note: Don't drain the dates. Keep them in the water and stir in the ingredients as directed. The instructions are a little unclear)

What I’m Reading:

Food Trends:

Maple Water Is The New Coconut Water - To Live And Diet In LA
Me No Want Cookie! Sesame Street Puts the Junk Food Industry on Notice - Good (Fruit and vegetable companies can now use Sesame Street characters to market produce, free of charge)

Healthy Eating:

Debunk the Junk: 10 red flags to help you sort specious nutrition advice from the good stuff - TuftsNow
Did You Know That There Are New Guidelines for Canning? - The Kitchn
In Plastics and Cans, a Threat to Women - The New York Times
A Call for a Low-Carb Diet - The New York Times (I'm not advocating this, but it's news so staying on top of it)

Read a response to the study: Diet Research, Stuck in the Stone Age - David Katz

Exercise:

Body by Smartphone: There are thousands of mobile apps on the market aimed at diet and fitness. Can they really make us healthier? - TuftsNow
Workouts for the Overworked - Wall Street Journal

Lifestyle (Home, Relationships, Organization, Psychology, Happiness, Art, DIY Crafts):

The Decisive Marriage - The New York Times
The Psychology of Clutter - Wall Street Journal (requires subscription)
More Hospitals Use The Healing Power of Art - Wall Street Journal
9 Decluttering Secrets from Professional Organizers - Real Simple
DIY Fabric Mail Organizer (to get mail off the counter) - Make It & Love It
Set Up Your Kitchen for Weight-Loss Success - EatingWell via Chicago Tribune

What I'm Salivating Over:

Breakfast

Chunky Homemade Granola - The Fountain Avenue Kitchen (Pin It)
Instant Baked Oatmeal- The Fountain Avenue Kitchen (Pin It)
Quickie Cookie Baked Oatmeal - The Fountain Avenue Kitchen (Pin It)
Simple Poached Egg and Avocado Toast - Pinch of Yum (Pin It)
Banana Corn Muffins - Weelicious (Pin It)
Cranberry-Apricot Almond Bar - Confessions of a Bright-Eyed Baker (Pin It)

Main Course

Baked Zucchini Sticks - hellohealthy, excerpt from the soon-to-be-released The Skinnytaste Cookbook (which I contributed to!) (Pin It)
10 Tips for a Healthy Tailgate (the post is LOADED with recipes) - Love & Zest (Pin It)
Pulled Chicken and Avocado Sliders - Love & Zest (Pin It)
Asian Farro Medley with Salmon - Skinnytaste (Pin It)
Easy Homemade Burrito Bowls - Iowa Girl Eats (Pin It)
Key Lime Melon Spritzer - Sweet and Savory by Shinee (Pin It)
Sesame Soy Salmon - The Foundation Avenue Kitchen (Pin It)
Lemon Chicken 2 Ways - The Fountain Avenue Kitchen (Pin It)

Dessert

Gingerbread Pumpkin Bars - Running with Spoons (Pin It)
Chocolate Covered Raspberry Oat Bars - Running with Spoons (Pin It)
Chocolate Zucchini Cake - Food Network Kitchen (Pin It)
Pumpkin Muffins with Cinnamon Pecan Streusel Topping (I looove streusel) - Joyful Healthy Eats (Pin It)
DIY Brown Sugar Candied Walnuts - Confessions of a Bright-Eyed Baker (Pin It)

Fun Food Quiz!

What Food Matches Your Personality? - BuzzFeed (I got pizza!)

The Week in Photos:

CDA's Fall Leadership Meeting in LA

Since I couldn't upload photos last week, I'm including some shots from the California Dietetic Association's Fall Leadership Meeting two weeks ago. The photo on the left is of me and National Spokesperson Vandana Sheth and the one on the right is with the two women I work most closely with on public policy (Ashley Rosales and Lorri Holzberg). I love promoting my profession and getting to work with - and learn from - so many talented dietitians.

A few photos from my trip to California’s Almond Orchards (Top: Goodie bag goodies; Bottom Left: A selfie right before cocktails and dinner the first night; Bottom Right: Almonds that had been harvested the day before – hard to get much fresher!

Last week, I attended a sponsored trip with the California Almond Board and visited almond orchards in California's Central Valley. I'll have a whole blog post recapping the trip with photos and a few fun videos soon.

One more photo from the Almond Tour (with my Boston Red Sox hat of course). Hanging out with almonds that were JUST shaken down from the tree.

Clockwise from top left: Whole wheat date nut bread; date nut bread slathered with whipped cream cheese; prepping healthy snacks; inside my fridge

I had a craving for date nut bread so I dug through my tear-out recipe book (some of those recipes go wayyy back - pre-Pinterest back), and found a whole wheat version from Whole Living magazine. It came out perfectly. I promptly gave half to my date-nut bread-loving sister, and kept the rest for my greedy little self. :) I scooped up the last of the season's stone fruit from the farmer's market, and cut it up for a fruit bowl which we finished relatively quickly…I also cut up some celery for weekly snacking. I find keeping them upright in jars filled halfway with water keep them crisp for the next few days.

Adam made a crazy good dinner. We started talking about what to have for dinner in the afternoon, and for some reason I thought "frittata!" And then "with mushrooms…and…fontina." So I went online and tracked down a simple cream-less recipe from The Fountain Avenue Kitchen, which he made perfectly. Along with Italian chicken sausage. I was in charge of the salad, with ingredients I picked up at the farmer's market that morning (cucumber, mixed greens, and heirloom tomatoes). A-MAZING. And for dessert, we shared a mug of Trader Joe's chocolate-vanilla caramel swirl ice cream. Sunday? We owned it.

Be well! See you for another mid-week lunch date next Wednesday!

Any favorite recipes, new products, articles, or quizes you'd like to share?

Our Wednesday Lunch Date #2: Plant Waters, Habits, and Champagne Cocktails

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 27 Aug 2014 21:28:00 +0000

Hi! How has your week been? I'm happy we can get together today to catch up :) Currently, I'm in Lodi, California - just south of Sacramento - on a sponsored trip with the Almond Board of California. Yesterday, a group of food-loving dietitians and bloggers arrived in town, and today we spent all day learning about almonds, from grafting and growing to marketing to culinary techniques. Tomorrow, we head south to a farm in the Central Valley to watch almonds get shaken down from the trees (!) and visit a processing facility.

I've learned a lot about almonds, and I excitedly reported everything I learned to Adam over the phone tonight. There were a lot of surprised "wows!" on his end, and likely a lot of animated gesticulating on mine. In the next few days, I'll share it all with you too. Get ready. Honey bees, peach trees, and a machine called "the shaker" play a starring role.

For now, here's what I've been up to this past week:

My Recent Press:

22 Ways to Get Happy Now - Health Magazine (tip #3 - except "butter" should be "nut butter," and tip #7)

What I've Cooked Lately That Was AWESOME:

Orange Chicken Stir-Fry with Snow Peas (I served it on top of Trader Joe's Brown Basmati Rice and used sugar snaps instead of snow peas) - Ellie Krieger (Pin It)

What I’m Reading:

5 Healthy Grains with More Protein Than Quinoa - Giselle Castro for Women's Health
Grocers Lead Kids to Produce with Junk Food-Style Marketing - Allison Aubrey for NPR
Study Turns Tables on Value of Breakfast, Weight Loss - Michelle Healy for USA Today
Obesity Increases Risk of 10 Common Cancers, Study Finds - The Independent
- Original Source: The Lancet
Getting More Sleep Could Cut Junk Food Cravings in Half - CBS News
- Original Source: Appetite
Plant Waters Grow Into Hot Beverage Market Trend - Standard Times
Teen Sleeplessness Piles On Risk For Obesity - Science Daily
Kitchen Hack: Freezing Yogurt in Ice Cube Trays For Smoothies - Marisa Moore for The Cutting Board (Pin It)
How Long Does It Actually Take To Form a New Habit? - James Clear for Huffington Post
9 Great Foods for Weight Loss - Beth Howard for Huffington Post via Grandparents.com

What I'm Salivating Over:

Strawberry Goat Cheese Bruschetta - Chef John for AllRecipes
Vanilla Bean Breakfast Quinoa - Fit Foodie Finds (Pin It)
No Bake Energy Bites Are The Snack You Need This Instant - Kate Bratskeir for Huffington Post (Pin It)
No Bake Pumpkin Raisin Bites - To Live & Diet In L.A. (Pin It)
Watermelon, Feta, Basil & Pistachio Salad with Reduced Balsamic Vinaigrette - Iowa Girl Eats (Pin It)
Dark Chocolate Tangerine Truffles - Almond Board of California (Pin It)
{10 Ideas} How to Make Yogurt Bars - Kids Activities Blog (Pin It)
Grape Vanilla Dip with Fruit Skewers - Cabot (Pin It)
Healthy Stir Fry Recipes in 30 Minutes or Less - EatingWell (Pin It)
50 of the Best Peach Recipes - Brown Eyed Baker (Pin It)
Basil Pesto Almonds - Almond Board of California (Pin It)
Sweet Potato Hummus - Whole Living (Pin It)
5 Ingredient Fig & Honey Breakfast Quinoa - Diets In Review (Pin It)
Quinoa Salad with Black Beans and Avocado - Dawna Stone for Mind Body Green (Pin It)
Champagne & Tequila Sparkler - Liquor.com (Pin It)
Mason Jar Chickpea, Farro & Greens Salad (& other jar salad suggestions!) - Cookie + kate (Pin It)
16 Recipes That Pack Well For Lunch (all vegetarian) - Cookie + kate (Pin It)
8 Healthy Snacks to Prepare with Kids - The Cutting Board (Pin It)
Matt's Oatmeal Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies - Fannetastic Food (Pin It)
5 Minute No Bake Peanut Butter Granola Bars - Fannetastic Food (Pin It)

Fun Food Quiz!

Which Celebrity Chef Are You (Quiz) - Kitchen Daily

The Week in Photos: The internet at my hotel is too slow to load photos, so I'll double up next Wednesday. I was going to show you some photos from the California Dietetic Association's Fall Leadership Conference in Los Angeles, which I attended on Friday. I also made a delicious dinner (the orange chicken linked above) and tried Trader Joe's new cookie butter ice cream (personally unimpressed - I'll stick with their vanilla when the craving strikes).

Be well! See you for another mid-week lunch date next Wednesday!

Any favorite recipes, new products, articles, or quizes you'd like to share?

Our NEW Mid-Week Lunch Date: Wednesday Link Love

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 23:45:00 +0000

Learn. Procrastinate. Salivate. (Should this be the new tagline to my blog?)

Every Wednesday at noon PST, the weekly halfway point, I'm going to bring you a week's worth of my favorite articles, recipes, and tweets, plus some photos of where I've been and what I'm doing. It'll be our mid-week lunch date.

I'm constantly reading articles, pinning recipes, and taking photos of what I'm up to...but I've never compiled them to share with you all. Time to change that! I hope that you find these weekly compilations from around the web helpful - they have a mind-body focus and will typically cover areas of your life from de-cluttering to healthy snacks to decadent recipes that fit into a healthy lifestyle. I'll also make sure to include links to any articles I write or am quoted in so you can stay up to date with my nutrition writing and philosophy.

My Recent Press:

8 Delicious Summer Foods That Are Good For You, Too - CNN
Just How Picky Is Your Picky Eater? - Scholastic Parents

What I've Cooked Lately That Was AWESOME:

Summer Fruit Crisp - King Arthur Flour (Pin It)
Kale and Quinoa Salad with Dates, Almonds & Citrus Dressing - The Kitchn (Pin It)
Whole Grain Penne with Chicken, Mushrooms, and Spinach - Ellie Krieger

What I’m Reading:

Peanut & Almond Butter Recall - FDA
How to Pack Awesome (and Easy) School Lunches - Foodlets
The Mind-Water Connection (Plus, 3 Tips for Better Hydration!) - Elle Penner for MyFitnessPal
21 Healthier Versions of Your Favorite Breakfasts - BuzzFeed Life
7 Tricks to Make It Easy to Eat Healthy All Week - Alexandra Jamieson for MindBodyGreen
10 Feng Shui Tips to Create Beauty & Order In Your Home - Amanda Gibby Peters for MindBodyGreen
Careful Meal Timing Can Help You Lose Weight - Jennifer Neily for SunSentinel
Resistant Starch Lowers Red Meat-Related Colorectal Cancer Risk - Benita Matilda for Science World Report
What You Need to Know Before You Reuse That Plastic Water Bottle - Amanda Chan for Huffington Post
Low Vitamin D Increases Risk for Dementia and Alzheimers, - Eliana Dockterman for Time
In Ayurveda-style Cooking, 'Food is Medicine' - The Dallas Morning News
Too Much Zucchini? Here's How to Freeze It - TheKitchn
How Many Bites Do You Take a Day? Try for 100 - The New York Times
Probiotics Primer: What Science Says About Using Bacteria to Treat Disease - Alexandra Sifferlin for Time

What I'm Salivating Over:

Dark Chocolate Cherry Truffles - 30 Seconds with A&J (Pin It)
Easy Chocolate Almond Butter Cups - paleOMG (Pin It)
12 Ways to Cook with Ricotta Cheese - Teri Tsang Barrett for Bon Appetit (Pin It)
How to Sprout Lentils - The Lean Green Bean (Pin It)
15 Healthy Recipes for the Grill - The Lean Green Bean (Pin It)
Ready in Minutes Dinner: Saucy Tomato & Artichoke Chicken - FANNEtastic food (Pin It)
Zucchini Crust Vegetarian Pizza Margherita - Kalyn's Kitchen (Pin It)
Quaker Chewy Chocolate Chip Protein Bars - iFOODreal (Pin It)
Berry Banana Quinoa and Steel Cut Oats Breakfast Bake - iFoodReal (Pin It)
Skinny Fried Egg and Avocado Toast - SimpleGreenMoms (Pin It)
Sweet Potato Protein Pancakes - The Lean Green Bean (Pin It)
A Sweet and Salty Breakfast You'll Love - Women's Health Magazine (Pin It)
Cottage Cheese Pancakes with Blueberry Compote - Women's Day (Pin It)
Tired of Mealtime Battles? Deconstruct the Meals! - Tribeca Nutrition (Pin It)
10 One-Handed Snacks for New Moms - TheKitchn (Pin It)
Almond Peanut Butter Balls - Lori Zanini (Pin It)
Freezer Oatmeal Raisin Cookies - The Lean Green Bean (Pin It)
Simple Summer Berry Crumble - According to Elle (Pin It)
21 Vegan Friendly Freezer Meals - Oh She Glows (Pin It)
No Bake Peanut Butter "Cookies" with a Chocolate Drizzle - Edible Perspective (Pin It)
Black Bean Walnut Brownies - Sharon Palmer (Pin It)

Helpful Tweets:

“Make-it-yourself trail mix! Mix air-popped popcorn, dark chocolate pieces & roasted nuts or chickpeas together for an easy & tasteful treat!” - @bnutritious
"700 calorie breakfast + 500 calorie lunch + 200 calorie dinner more successful for weight loss than reverse" - @sweetfoodie
"ACG updates recommendations for management of IBS, chronic idiopathic constipation incl. FODMAP diet, probiotics, psyllium fiber, hypnosis" - @sweetfoodie
"Having trouble getting your to-dos done? The Timeful calendar app uses algorithms based on your daily patterns" -@sweetfoodie

The Week in Photos: I just returned from vacation on Nantucket Island - it's a small island (105 square miles) 30 miles off the coast of Massachusetts. To give you a sense of how calm it is there - there isn't one stoplight on the whole island, just stop signs! There's a beautiful town with cobblestone streets, ice cream and fudge shops and high-end stores for window shopping. My family lays low, doing puzzles, cooking, going out for fun dinners with lots of wine, and hitting the beach with books.

It felt like the right time and place to make a late summer berry and peach crisp, and since King Arthur Flour's recipes never let me down, I went right to their site and pulled up a winner. My mom took the first bite while I was out and sent me this text: "OMG it's the best thing I ever tasted. It's unbelievable." If that piques your interest, here's the recipe (also linked up top).

Be well! See you for another mid-week lunch date next Wednesday!

The 15 Coolest Kitchen Hacks From Around the Web

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 05 Aug 2014 03:45:00 +0000

There are so many fun kitchen and food hacks popping up all the time. I've put together a list of my top 15 for your time-saving, skills-perfecting, friend-impressing pleasure.

In the comments, please let me know some of YOUR favorite kitchen hacks, and feel free to leave a link to pass on the great ideas (including your own!)

#1: Cut Cherry Tomatoes (all at once):

#2: Peel a Head of Garlic in 10 Seconds (with a bowl):

#3: Peel a Mango (on a glass):

#4: Keep Brown Sugar Soft (so simple):

Place a slice of bread in with the brown sugar and seal

#5: Ripen Bananas in the Oven (hello banana bread!):

: With permission from Domestic Superhero

#6: Chop an Onion (less crying, more cutting):

: From CarolineKaufman.com

#7: Chiffonade Basil (looks fancy, not hard):

#8: Shred Meat In a Stand Mixer (no muss, no fuss)

#9: Chop Rosemary and Thyme (quick and easy):

#10: Use an Ice Cube Tray 15 Ways (genius)

: With permission from The Lean Green Bean

#11: Clean Stained Pots & Pans (all-natural solution)

: From CarolineKaufman.com

#12: Hard Cook Eggs In the Oven (no boil method):

: With permission from The Lean Green Bean

#13: Check How Steak is Cooked (with your fingers)

: With permission from A Spicy Perspective

#14: Chop Parsley and Cilantro (they're different)

#15: Make Chocolate Covered Strawberries (no dipping!)

: With permission from Just a Colorado Gal

and

These heart-shaped chocolate covered strawberries!

With permission from Free Stylin' <-- click="" for="" how-to="" td="">

What are YOUR favorite kitchen hacks and how-tos?

My Trip to Strawberryland + A Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 18:49:00 +0000

Note: This blog post is sponsored by the California Strawberry Commission. They paid for my trip and are providing the giveaway prize. They provided me with materials, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

After a magical trip to Santa Cruz, California last week, I’m back to tell you all about my time at the California Strawberries Farm Tour & Culinary Event! First, I want to thank the California Strawberry Commission for inviting me to visit Strawberryland. They put so much thought into every little detail, from setting up a food truck picnic in the field to welcoming us with a cozy jar of strawberry granola. A special shout out to the Strawberry Commission’s staff, specifically Jodi Reinman and Jenn Chidester of Modern PR. I ate amazing food and learned a ton about strawberries because of you!

Here’s my recap of the event: I arrived in San Jose, California on Thursday afternoon and was met by a super friendly driver (and ex-Naval officer) who drove me about an hour south to Santa Cruz on windy roads, lined with dense, old-growth trees – a big change of pace from SoCal palm trees and desert plants.

When I got to the Chaminade Resort & Spa , I had some time to myself before the welcome reception, so I sat outside on the patio looking into the forest and wandering around the property. I LOVE the crunchy sound of woodchips under my feet, which always reminds me of New England, and hiking around Massachusetts and Vermont.

I unpacked my new favorite grocery shopping bag, and found lots of wonderful treats, including granola handmade by the wife of the strawberry farmer we’d be visiting. I’ve included her recipe at the bottom of the post!

At the reception, I met the nine other food and lifestyle bloggers at the event. Everyone was so friendly and happy to be there, and I loved getting to meet other bloggers! It was totally normal to have your phone out and photograph everything before eating it. My two favorite appetizers were the strawberry grilled cheese and strawberry bruschetta. It’s very clear to me now that strawberries and cheese are crazy good together.

Dinner that night was a whirlwind of strawberry dishes, and my favorite was a simple salad that highlighted fresh produce: gem lettuces with strawberry and avocado and citrus vinaigrette. They sprinkled black lava sea salt on top of the avocado, which was ridiculous. I need to find some of that salt stat.

The next day, they whisked us off to the Santa Cruz wharf, where I saw a fluffy little BABY SEAGULL (!!!), sea otters swimming around, and a ton of hardcore surfers.

Then, onto the main event – farmer Rod Koda’s strawberry farm in Watsonville, California. Here are some of the fun strawberry facts I learned on the farm tour in between plucking strawberries off the vine and popping them into my mouth:

California is a Strawberry Growing Powerhouse:

Strawberries love to snuggle up in rich, sandy coastal soils with western ocean exposure and moderate temperatures. Basically, they like to hang out on a cool day at the beach under a cozy blanket as much as we do.
90% of U.S.-grown fresh strawberries come from California
Over 1.7 BILLION pounds of strawberries are harvested annually
There are more than 400 strawberry farmers in Cali, many from multi-generational farming families. They’re among the most progressive and environmentally conscious in the state and have invested over $13M in research and sustainable farming practice to reduce pesticide use and environmental impacts.

I saw the results of the research firsthand, watching a tractor fitted with a vacuum (bug vac) troll through the fields sucking up lygus bugs. I also learned that farmer Koda uses predatory spider mites to kill the spider mites that ruin his crop as a part of an integrated pest management plan. All of these techniques allow him to use fewer chemicals.

The Berries are Bursting with Good Nutrition:

Superfruit: A serving of strawberries (8 medium sized) has more vitamin C than an orange.
Dynamite for Diabetics: A cup of strawberries has half the sugar of an apple. The American Diabetes Association identified berries, including strawberries, as one of the top 10 superfoods for a diabetes meal plan.
Good for your Heart: Potassium found in strawberries can help control blood pressure and fight strokes. Plus, antioxidants, fiber and phytochemicals in strawberries have been shown to reduce total cholesterol levels.
Healthy However Grown: Available scientific data indicate that there is not a significant difference in the nutritional quality between organically and conventionally grown foods. I think the real focus should be to eat more fruits and vegetables, and not to get hung up on the nutritional differences between the growing practices.
Non GMO: There are no genetically modified strawberries commercially grown and shipped.

Finally, we had a beautiful lunch across from the fields from an LA food truck, The Lobos Truck, who makes the best darn babyback ribs and mac and cheese I’ve ever had.

For more information, visit: http://www.californiastrawberries.com/

Recipe for Farmer’s Wife Strawberry Granola:

Shared with Permission from California Strawberries

Ingredients:

3 cups old-fashioned oats

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup cashew pieces

1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon (generous) salt

1/3 cup honey

3 tablespoons (packed) brown sugar

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup assorted dehydrated strawberries and mango

Directions: Preheat oven to 300°F. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Mix first 7 ingredients in large bowl. Stir honey. oil and brown sugar in saucepan over low heat until smooth and not grainy. Pour honey mixture over oat mixture; toss. Spread on prepared sheet. Bake until golden, stirring every 10 minutes, about 40 minutes. Place sheet on rack. Stir granola; cool. Mix in fruit.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Store airtight.

If you’d like to know more about the other bloggers on the trip, here are their awesome websites:

Dara Michalski: Cookin’ Canuck www.cookincanuck.com

Kristy Denney: Sweet Treats & More www.sweettreatsmore.com

Katrina Bahl: In Katrina’s Kitchen www.inkatrinaskitchen.com

Cariann Cheney: Oh Sweet Basil www.ohsweetbasil.com

Anita Chu: Dessert First www.dessertfirstgirl.com

Melissa Bailey: Hungry Food Love www.hungryfoodlove.com

TerriAnn van Gosliga: Cookies & Clogs: www.cookiesandclogs.com

Sarah Menanix: Snixy Kitchen www.snixykitchen.com

Rosalynda Thorn: This Mama Can Cook www.thismamacancook.com

THE GIVEAWAY!

The California Strawberry Commission is sending one lucky reader a strawberry tea kettle. Enter below to win!

(image: http://kirbiecravings.com/2012/01/strawberry-mugcake.html)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Oatmeal Cottage Cheese Pancakes {gluten-free, lactose-free}

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 22 Jul 2014 22:29:00 +0000

A healthier alternative to plain-old flapjacks, these oatmeal cottage cheese pancakes are light, protein-packed, fiber-rich, and way more satisfying than your typical white-flour stack. Oh, and they’re quick and easy.

I ate them before taking a picture…so there’s no “after” beauty shot. But honestly these guys aren’t lookers. So you didn’t miss a whole lot

The batter comes together in minutes, and before you know it, you’ll be sitting down to a wholesome breakfast that’s crispy on the outside and soft and sweet on the inside. I devoured them with real maple syrup and wasn’t hungry again for hours. You could also spread a little nut butter or preserves on top, or load them up with fresh berries and banana slices.

These are easily made gluten-free by using gluten-free oats, and lactose-free by using a lactose-free cottage cheese.

Oatmeal Cottage Cheese Pancakes:

Makes approximately 7 small pancakes or 2 large ones
Calories: 332; 9g fat (3.2g saturated); 4g fiber; 1.6g sugar; 26g protein; 15% DV Iron

Ingredients:
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup reduced fat 2% cottage cheese
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dash of salt

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Lightly coat a non-stick pan with extra light olive oil or vegetable oil and heat on medium-high. Add pancake batter to make small or large pancakes as desired. Once batter starts bubbling in a few minutes, flip and cook until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and serve.

Note: While I love the texture of rolled oats in these pancakes, you can also blend the ingredients in a small cusinart so it more closely resembles pancake batter. For me, that’s just an extra step and another thing to clean!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 22 May 2014 23:55:00 +0000

This week, I got to do something I LOVE - work at a health fair! I always have a fun time at health fairs because I love getting to talk to lots of people, face-to-face, about food and lifestyle behaviors that can make eating healthy a whole lot easier.

This time, it was all about healthy snacks. And freshly blended tropical green smoothies. People were really diggin' the smoothie - and some even came back for seconds. So obviously, I had to post the recipe up here to share the green goodness!

As I've mentioned, I love a healthy shortcut, and this smoothie's got them in spades. You don't need to prep ANYTHING. And you don't even need a knife. There's basically no clean-up except the blender and two measuring cups. I use pre-washed spinach, which is a good time-saver, and the frozen fruit makes it cold (so you don't need to make ice)!

Here's what you'll need in the order you need it: (Makes 2 servings)

1-1/2 cups of unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 cup tightly packed fresh spinach
1-1/2 cups frozen mango chunks
1/2 banana
1/3 cup soft calcium-set tofu (optional)
1 teaspoon honey

Directions:

Blend the almond milk and spinach together. Start on a low speed, then up to medium, and then high. Blend until you can't see any little green bits anymore (see photo below)
Add the mango, banana, tofu, and honey. Blend together starting at a low speed and working up to high.
Since this makes two servings, you can drink one immediately and freeze for another day. You can freeze them in an ice-cube tray or silicon muffin pan and then toss in an air-tight container! (Check out this article from TheKitchn about freezing smoothies).

The smoothie I made for the health fair was a simple fruit and vegetable blend (it didn't have the tofu). But, I recommended people add some of their favorite protein and/or healthy fat to help them feel full if they were going to drink this alone. Some examples are protein powder, spirulina powder, nut or seed butter, flax seed, Greek yogurt, or calcium-set tofu.

Blend the almond milk and greens until you can't see bits of spinach anymore. That the secret to making your smoothie nice and well, smooth.

The Secret to Self-Control + A Giveaway with Hint Water

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 12 May 2014 20:11:00 +0000

What I’m about to tell you can change your life.

Self-control (also called self-regulation) is your ability to stop yourself from doing what that immediate, dominant voice in your head wants you to do. When you delay immediate gratification, you exert self-control.

That immediate, dominant voice can also be expressed as desire, urge, temptation, or that “I’d rather go out with my friends than do homework tonight” feeling. Remember that one?

A lot of us feel like we don’t have much self-control. That’s a draining feeling, not an energizing one. We sit on the couch instead of exercising, even though we know exercising would make us feel better. We let dishes pile up in the sink, hoping the dish fairy will clean them. We let mail pile up on the counter instead of putting it away – which only takes seconds. Or we eat too much junk food, daydream instead of work, spend money impulsively, over-spend, lose our tempers and miss appointments.

Giving into temptations in the short term puts a lot of stress on our future selves. They have a lot of cleaning up to do.

Have you ever sat on the couch when you know you should be working out? You’re trying to enjoy yourself but it’s

like there’s a little guilt cloud hovering over you. You’re not even enjoying the thing you supposedly want to do!

Here’s the secret: Self-control is like a muscle. And the more you use it, the more self-control you’ll have, and the easier it will be to exert it.

How can you build that muscle? It’s much easier than you think.

All you have to do is pick one thing you know is good for you but you’d rather put off, and do it consistently.

Doing that one thing consistently will make it easier for you to do other healthy things consistently. Isn’t that amazing?

Here are some behaviors you could choose:

Go the gym or an exercise class 3 times a week
Take a 30 minute walk five times a week
Drink at least 5 glasses of water each day (pick a realistic goal amount for yourself)
Start a happiness journal where you write down three things that made you happy every day before you go to bed
Meditate every day for 10 minutes. (Headspace is a great phone app with daily 10-minute guided meditations)
Do the dishes as you dirty them, or clean them every night before bed
Put the mail away instead of on the counter

Let’s say you haven’t been going to the gym and you start lifting. At first, your biceps will be pretty weak and fatigue easily. You’ll do a bicep exercise and deplete your muscle strength. You won’t be able to do another heavy bicep exercise that day. But, if you keep doing bicep exercises and strengthen the muscle, it will take a lot more effort to deplete your muscle strength, and you’ll be able to do a lot more bicep work.

Self-control works in the same way, according to a 2000 study in Psychological Bulletin, the journal of the American Psychological Association. In 2006, researchers at Macquarie University in Sydney Australia had 24 undergraduates participate in a regular exercise program and do lab tests that tested their self-control. Over the course of the experiment, the students who consistently exercised did better on the self-control tests than when they started (and better than the control group that didn’t exercise), and started reporting healthy changes in other parts of their life. The researchers hadn’t asked them to do anything but exercise – this was not a lifestyle intervention. But the benefits of the small act of consistently exercising trickled into their other behaviors. They found a statistically significant decrease in cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, caffeine consumption, junk food consumption, impulse spending, over-spending, going out with friends instead of studying, watching TV instead of studying, putting things off until later, and leaving dishes in the sink. They also reported a decrease in perceived stress and emotional stress. The researchers said the data suggested it wasn’t the exercise specifically, but just regularly exerting self-control.

In other words. they became happier and healthier just because they started exerting self-control on one thing.

So tell me, in the comments or the Rafflecopter below (if you use comments, you must leave your e-mail address so I can reach you!): What's one thing you can do to build your self-control?

THE GIVEAWAY: Hint Water is generously giving away a gift package of Hint Fizz to one reader. The idea behind Hint is simple: purified water + a splash of natural flavor. No sugar, no diet sweeteners, and no preservatives or additives. You can get it still or fizzy! (I’m a big fan of Hint Fizz, which is a super refreshing sparkling drink in a pretty bottle!) You can now buy direct from Hint (click here).

[Disclosure: Hint is sending me a package of Hint water plus one for the giveaway winner. I was not paid for this post. All opinions are my own.]

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My 10 Favorite Pinterest Dinner Recipes

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 20:09:00 +0000

I use Pinterest as a virtual recipe book. Instead of tearing out sheets of paper from magazines and taping them into an oversized notebook organized by course (yup, that type A), I just click a button and magically zap them into place online. When I'm deciding what to make, it's the first place I go.

I want to share 10 of my favorite recipes with you - the ones that both my husband and I happily declared "make agains" as we enjoyed our first few bites.

1. Easy Chicken-Mushroom Quesadillas by Ellie Krieger for The Food Network

(This photo is actually of Iowa Girl Eats' BBQ Chicken Quesadilla because I apparently devoured Ellie's before I could snap a photo - whoops!)

We LOVE the flavor of Ellie's quesadillas, and how quickly they come together. If you have leftover cooked chicken breast (or prep it on sunday for the week), this is a great meal for you.

2. Sneaky Meatball Subs and Sneaky Meatballs on Spaghetti Squash by Kristin Porter at Iowa Girl Eats

Kristin Porter, the girl behind Iowa Girl Eats, is a recipe genius - you'll see a bunch of our favorite Pinterest meals come from her blog. Her lean turkey meatballs are super flavorful and anything-but-dry because of the shredded zucchini she sneaks inside. It's a hearty dinner whether served in a sub roll or on top of spaghetti squash.

3. Lighter Sesame Chicken by by Kristin Porter at Iowa Girl Eats

: Photo Credit: Kristin @ Iowa Girl Eats

I love this healthier version of a high-cal Chinese food favorite. I've also breaded the chicken with almond flour, which gave it a great flavor although less crispy texture.

4. Mediterranean Smothered Chicken by Kristin Porter at Iowa Girl Eats

: Photo Credit: Kristin @ Iowa Girl Eats

This is one of my husband's all-time favorite meals. The little bit of cream gives it a decadent flavor, but there's really hardly any in there! The combo of briny capers and artichokes with savory tomatoes and fresh basil is beyond.

5. Twenty-Minute Chili by Cooking Light

This has been a family favorite for years. When I visit with my parents, they often request it! It's an easy, quick dinner staple.

6. Lively Yourself Up Lentil Soup by Heidi Swanson at 101 Cookbooks

One of my FAVORITE meals. Heidi adds a dollop of saffron-infused Greek yogurt to the top of each bowl - come ON! It's also fantastic with poached eggs on top or chunks of ripe avocado)

7. Chicken and Brown Rice by Martha Stewart

A one-pot wonder. Shortcuts include frozen peas and jarred roasted red peppers. This meal is just plain cozy. We've also enjoyed it with basmati rice, which stays soft after refrigerating...leftover heaven!

8. Chickpea Burgers and Tahini Sauce by Eating Well

While I eat them warm at dinner, I turn the leftovers into Mediterranean sandwiches or salads, like you see above. For a sandwich, I layer spinach, chopped tomatoes, and sliced chickpea burgers on one side. On the other side, I smash up some stuffed grape leaves and drizzle tart tzatziki (cucumber yogurt) on the top.

9. Engagement Chicken by Glamour

A beautiful basic chicken recipe that can easily become a household staple. It relies heavily on lemon juice and herbs for flavor, and you pour the special lemon "marry me juice" on top at the end. Rumor has it, people get engaged after making it for their boyfriends/girlfriends. This photo is from the night I got engaged :-)

10. Spinach, Herb & Goat Cheese Frittata by Ellie Krieger

Another hit from Ellie Krieger. Easy to assemble and quick cooking. It's a light dish and pairs really well with roasted potatoes, like her parsley potatoes from her Weeknight Wonders cookbook (where I originally found this frittata recipe).

Question: What are your favorite recipes? Please share recipe links in the comments below! (Don't be shy - it can be your own!)

Follow me on Pinterest for MANY more recipes - I have boards for dinners, snacks, breakfasts, healthy appetizers, salads, seafood, cooking with herbs, cooking with berries, kid-friendly meals, plus home decor, soothing spaces, style...and cute puppies!

The Top 10 Ways to Control Your IBS Symptoms With Diet & Exercise

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 23 Apr 2014 16:40:00 +0000

#168617339 / gettyimages.com

Happy Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Awareness Month! I know, it’s not a fun topic; I mean, who wants to talk about bowel discomfort? It can be embarrassing to talk about your stomach problems, and you might even think the pain and bloating are normal because it’s all that you know. But don’t let shyness get in the way of healing. You’re bloated, you’re uncomfortable, your stomach is in pain, and maybe you’re worried about going out because you need to quickly find bathrooms. It doesn’t have to be that way. If you have symptoms, talk to your primary care physician or health care provider. The good news is that you can help control your symptoms through diet and nutrition.

What is IBS?

Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a functional gastrointestinal tract disorder. That means the symptoms are caused by changes in how the GI tract works (read: it’s not working properly). Symptoms include abdominal pain or discomfort, cramping, bloating, constipation and/or diarrhea. While it may be painful, IBS does not damage your organs or lead to disease. IBS affects an estimated 24 million Americans, according to a report from Harvard Medical School. It’s more commonly found in people under age 45, and is twice as common in women than men.

Top 10 Ways to Control Your IBS Symptoms With Diet & Exercise

1. Exercise regularly. A 2011 study of IBS patients found that 20-30 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity coupled with supportive phone calls from a physiotherapist resulted in a significant improvement of symptoms compared with those who just had phone calls.

2. Avoid high-gas food. If you suffer from bloating and gas, you may find relief by reducing or avoiding high-gas foods like carbonated beverages, salads and raw fruits and vegetables — especially crucifers like broccoli and cauliflower.

3. Consider the FODMAP Elimination Diet. Some researchers propose that people with IBS have a hard time digesting and absorbing certain sugars called FODMAPS (fermentable oligio-di-monosaccharides and polyols). When they eat a sugar their body can’t properly break down, it contributes to their symptoms. The FODMAP approach is an elimination diet that helps you determine which sugars you are sensitive to, and what foods to avoid.

4. Increase fiber slowly. Quickly adding fiber to your diet may cause gas and trigger other symptoms, so increase intake slowly by 2-3 grams per day to reduce the risk.

5. Try peppermint oil.* Enteric-coated peppermint oil capsules may help reduce symptoms like abdominal pain, bloating and gas.

6. Take a probiotic.* Probiotics are live micro-organisms similar to the ones in our digestive tract. Taking probiotics has been associated with improved IBS symptoms — especially abdominal pain, bloating and gas.

7. Drink lots of water.

8. Eat smaller meals instead of three big meals every day, recommends the American Academy of Family Physicians.

9. Start a food log. Record what and when you eat, your symptoms and bowel movements. This will help you determine which foods worsen your IBS.

10. Keep an eye on common “trigger foods” like milk products, alcohol, chocolate, beans, cabbage, red peppers, green onions, high-fat foods, artificial sweeteners sorbitol and xylitol (often found in sugarless candy and gum), wheat and caffeine (in coffee, tea, soda and some medications like Excedrin and Midol). *Always talk to your healthcare provider before taking any herbs or supplements.

Sources:
American Academy of Family Physicians: Fiber: How to Increase the Amount In Your Diet. Updated December, 2010.
American Academy of Family Physicians: Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Treatment. Updated August, 2012.
Cleveland Clinic: Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Reviewed January, 2011.
Harvard Health Publications, Harvard Medical School: Understanding and treating an irritable bowel. Mayo Clinic: Irritable Bowel Syndrome: treatments and drugs. July, 2011
Medline Plus: Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Reviewed June, 2013
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM): Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Complementary Health Practices. Updated February, 2012.
National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse: Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Updated October, 2013
University of Gothenburg. Physical activity improves symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome: a randomized controlled trial. (January, 2011).
ScienceDaily. Exercise improve symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome. Retrieved March, 2014. WebMD: Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Reviewed January, 2011.
WebMD: Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Health Center: IBS, Constipation, and Laxatives. October, 2012

This blog post was originally published on Food & Nutrition Magazine's Stone Soup blog on 4/1/2014.

Confessions of a (non)yogi & a recipe for homemade fruit leather

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 14 Apr 2014 19:00:00 +0000

Hi friends! I'd like to introduce you to a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and writer who is beautiful from the inside out! McKenzie Hall, of NourishRDs brings her positive spirit and "lets get real here" attitude to the blog. I met McKenzie soon after moving to Los Angeles and we've been exploring the city together ever since! Today, she shares her love of yoga clothes, wholesome snacks, and how to find a workout that you like - the only kind that's gonna stick. She's got a wonderful blog too - so definitely check it out!

Here's McKenzie:

I wish I were more into yoga. Is that a weird way to start to this blog post? I hope not.

It was actually the first thought that came to mind when Caroline and I were brainstorming ideas for this guest blog as we strolled through the Venice canals one lovely, sunny Sunday afternoon.

“You could write about fitness, McKenzie” she said, “That would be great!”

As it just so happens, I absolutely love talking about fitness and nutrition and how the two go hand-in-hand. I love viewing food as fuel; as something that our bodies use to do the things we love to do. And what I love is hiking, dancing, swimming, and hiking some more. But, I’m not the biggest fan of yoga. And I really wish I were. I love the idea of yoga, the principles of yoga and the lifestyle it encourages. And yoga clothes are so amazing. Even my mom is a yoga instructor – you think the yoga gene would be somewhere in my blood! But when it comes right down to it, yoga just isn’t for me.

How often do we think we should do something, be something, when it just doesn’t fit?

This goes for food, too. What works for some people, doesn’t work for everyone. Our bodies are all different and unique, and we respond to food (and exercise) differently. And what works for us today, may not necessarily work for us tomorrow. Who knows? I could be a full-fledged yogi in 20 years!

So rather than thinking you “should” eat this or do that – I strongly encourage you to find what works best for you –to find healthy habits that work for you and those that you can stick with. I’ve found that finding maintainable, sustainable habits is the secret to health and contentment. So even though yoga may not be for me, I do love being active each day – and I’ve come to embrace the activities I love.

Regardless of what you love to do, here’s a recipe that will fuel you to do the activities you love to do. Prior to exercise, it’s best to eat a snack made up of easily digestible carbohydrates, such as fruit, a low-fat yogurt, or a granola bar. Carbohydrates are your body’s preferred source of fuel; they help you run that extra flight of stairs, climb to the top of the steep hill, or even master tree pose.

What activities do you love to do? I’d love to know!

{DIY 2-Ingredient} Apple Cinnamon Fruit Leather

Keep a few of these fruit leathers on hand to give you the added boost of energy you may need to fuel your next activity.

Ingredients:

3 cups unsweetened applesauce
2 tablespoons cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to lowest temperature possible. I was able to set my oven to 170 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap or a silpat silicone mat.
In a medium sized bowl, mix apple sauce and amount of desired cinnamon.
Spread the apple mixture out onto the baking sheet. For best results, spread as evenly and thinly as possible.
Place in the oven and let bake for 6-7 hours. Fruit leather is done when it is a little bit sticky.
Let cool for approximately 20 minutes. Cut into desired width and roll into wax paper. Store in an air-tight container.

McKenzie Hall is a registered dietitian nutritionist based in Los Angeles, and co-founder of Nourish RDs, a nutrition communications and consulting business. McKenzie alongside with her business partner and best friend, Lisa, believe eating well is not about what you can’t eat—it’s about what you can eat. Their best (non) diet advice? Eat real food and share it with those you love! You can follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram and check out their recipes and nutrition tips on the Nourish RDs blog. You can also check out McKenzie’s personal Twitter & Pinterest accounts here.

Storming Capitol Hill - Fighting for Health Legislation

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 21:13:00 +0000

Sorry that my blog has been pretty quiet the last few days. I have been at an exciting public policy conference in Washington, DC with over 400 Registered Dietitian Nutritionists, dietetics students and interns, and Dietetic Technicians, Registered.

We stormed Capitol Hill yesterday to talk to our legislators about three very important pieces of legislation that can help improve our nation's health. They included securing funding for meals-on-wheels and congregant meal sites for older Americans, providing more affordable access to evidence-based obesity treatments, and making it easier for legislation focused on PREVENTION to get passed!

Members of the California Dietetic Association at the Public Policy Workshop (I'm fourth from the right)

I am passionate about my work, and I truly want to make it easier for people to be healthy, feel their best, and prevent chronic disease through food and exercise. Yesterday, I made that clear to Senator Barbara Boxer, Senator Diane Feinstein, and Representative Henry Waxman of the Great State of California.

(L) Meeting with Representative Henry Waxman's Legislative Assistant, Matthew Connolly. (R) Photo Opp with Joy Bauer, the Keynote Speaker

(This is a long one, so if you skipped to here, here's the bottom line: I'm here for you.)

xx
Caroline

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 24 Mar 2014 19:46:00 +0000

Happy Monday. I hope you a wonderful, productive, and – well – lovely, week.

(via http://relaxandsucceed.wordpress.com/2013/02/12/your-secret-communication/44-relax-and-succeed-if-you-have-good-thoughts-they-will-shine/)

What's Inside My Fridge?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 20:26:00 +0000

Robin, the culinary and nutrition expert over at Robin's Bite asked me to open up my refrigerator and answer questions about my shopping and eating habits. I even had to take photos of the inside, so you know it's legit. While the contents of my fridge shift around over the course of a month, I always keep basic staples in there.

Refrigerator photo taken two weeks ago

Right now, it's a little more full than in the photos you see above because I just went food shopping. I almost always buy raw meat, poultry, and fish within two days of cooking it, so what's in there depends on what I'm cooking in the near future. Sometimes you'll find leftovers, and other times it's kind of empty because we've polished them off. In addition to what's in the recent photos, I also have leftover rotisserie chicken, steamed green beans, sliced turkey, stuffed grape leaves, ripe strawberries, guacamole, light sour cream, and ridiculously good bruschetta sauce from Trader Joes. I made Ellie Krieger's amazing easy chicken-mushroom quesadillas a few nights ago, hence the abundance of dips...

My interview with Robin doesn't just review what's in my refrigerator - we also talk about how I feel about leftovers (very pro), what brands I swear by, how often I go grocery shopping, what piece of cooking equipment I adore, and more. Here's a portion of the interview. For more, click on this link to hop over to the full post.

Refrigerator photo taken after Sunday food prep last year (includes canning jar salads)

Portions of My Interview with Robin (click here for the full post):

Robin: Where do you shop for food?

Caroline: My regular shops are Trader Joes, Whole Foods, and Costco and I visit the local farmers market on the weekend occasionally.

R: Do you love food shopping or dread it?

C: I love food shopping! I have fun looking for new products and reading labels to find the healthiest version of what I need. I especially like looking at the nutrition labels and ingredients for products with lots of health claims and marketing on the package to see if it’s really as nutritious as they say. When I’m in a rush, I can shop quickly because I know exactly what I’m looking for on the label. If a packaged food doesn’t meet my criteria, it goes back on the shelf! For example, I only buy grain-based products with at least 3g of fiber and a whole grain listed first on the ingredient list, and I don’t buy anything with sugar as the first or second ingredient. Unless, of course, I’m purposefully looking for junk food – sometimes I want plain old potato chips!

R: What is the single most important thing on your mind when you are shopping for food?

C: I want to make sure that I have enough healthy options to create quick meals and snacks. I like to have reduced-fat snacking cheese, hummus, whole grain crackers and bread, nut butter, eggs, fruits and vegetables in my kitchen at all times. Whenever I’m running low on one of these, I make sure to pick up more! I’m always restocking the basics.

R: Do you believe in leftovers?

C: YES! Leftovers are a huge time saver and so many dishes taste even better the next day, like stews and one-pot chicken and rice meals. Even though there are only two of us, I always make recipes for 4-6 so we have leftovers for quick lunches and dinners over the next few days. I take home restaurant leftovers because they’re easy to work into my next meal – roast chicken or slices of steak are perfect for lunch salads, for example. If you’re worried about leftovers and food safety, check out the app, “Is My Food Safe?” I use it all the time! For example, the app tells you that a cooked chicken dish is good in the refrigerator for 4-5 days, and in the freezer for 4-6 months.

R: What brands do you swear by? Why?

C: I love The Laughing Cow’s mini babybel cheeses. They’re snack size (50-80 calories per wheel), and taste so rich and satisfying. I grew up eating the original in the red wax package, so there’s definitely a nostalgic pull for me – I would always peel the wax and pretend the shell was Pac Man. I limit my lactose intake, so I drink lactose-free milk, and I think Organic Valley is the best tasting brand around. Does Trader Joe’s count as a brand? If yes, then lately I’m a big fan of their mini 70% Cacao Dark Chocolate Bars (100 calories of pure, sweet, antioxidant goodness), pre-washed kale and spinach, which make it easy to add vegetables to meals and snacks, and sliced mango. And, I can’t forget Hint Fizz, which helps me stay hydrated. I don’t even like carbonated water, but something about it is addictive; it’s flavored with fruit essence and I love having the pretty glass bottle on my desk!

For the full interview, click here.

Plant Power & a Quick Mediterranean Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 20:11:00 +0000

I like quick, easy-to-assemble meals and snacks, so I keep a bunch of healthy staples on hand and prep fruits and vegetables when I have some time (like weekends). In my guest blog post for Sharon Palmer, "The Plant-Powered Dietitian," I share exactly what those staples are, so head over for a list of my "must haves." One of my favorite throw-together meals is a Mediterranean platter or sandwich.

If you have hummus, some kind of whole grain (crackers, pita, quinoa, etc.), and prepped veggies on hand, you've got lunch. If you have leftover salad or you've prepped canning jar salads for the week - add that! You can easily include a hardboiled egg, beans, or roast chicken for more protein.

It's a simple but filling meal, and you can find a more detailed recipe on Sharon Palmer's blog. Sharon is a registered dietitian, food and nutrition writer, and plant-based expert (she literally wrote the book on it). In my guest blog, I answered lots of personal questions like:

what I eat in a typical day,
where I get my plant-based recipes and food prep tips, and
what are my plant-based must-haves when food shopping.

I also share practical tips that make it easy to fit more fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes and whole grains into a busy person's diet, without having to cook up complicated recipes or worry about food going to waste.

Check out my interview on Sharon's blog to learn more about how to power up with plants! [click here - the post will open in a new window ]

My radio interview on LA Talk Live!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 26 Feb 2014 17:40:00 +0000

Yesterday morning, I was on LA Talk Live! radio on their show Here's to Your Health with Josh Lane. Ruth Frechman, MA, RD and author of The Food is My Friend Diet, interviewed me about wellness for half an hour. We talked about a variety of common concerns from picky eaters to emotional eating to simply getting more fruits and vegetables in our diet. I gave her some of my best tips and we had so much fun talking - I think you'll be able to tell :)

If you came here searching for a link to the canning jar salads recipe and technique I described, click here and you'll be whisked to another page.

Check out the video of our 30 minute spot, above. We start at 1 hour, 15 minutes into the program, so you can skip to that part:

And some more "behind the scenes" photos from the studio (excuse the blurriness):

Healthy Snacks for Work

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 19 Feb 2014 01:13:00 +0000

I'm sharing some of my favorite snack tips and recipes for the workweek on The Lyons' Share Wellness blog. It's run by my friend Megan, who wrote that awesome guest post on exercise last week.

These are the opposite of healthy snacks! This photo is from the Monsters, Inc. ride at California Adventure ;)

There are three main components to healthy snacks. Here's #1:

#1. They’re Balanced: Choose a mix of foods that are close to their natural state and provide at least two of three of these components: complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and protein. Carbohydrates are your body’s main energy source (and your brain’s favorite fuel) and the fiber in complex carbs keeps you full, helps prevent cancer, and regulates your bowel movements; healthy fats improve blood cholesterol levels, decrease risk of heart disease, and help you absorb certain vitamins and minerals; and protein is satisfying, important for muscle repair and growth, and may bump up your metabolism to burn extra calories.

To find out the other two components of a healthy snack, and get some quick n' easy, portable recipes, click here to hop on over to Megan's blog and read on!

Healthy human snacks at California Adventure - was happy to see these wholesome food stands all over the park!

Chocolate Almond Butter Cookies {and a Giveaway!)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 19:59:00 +0000

It's almost Valentine's Day (Feb 14) and National Almond Day (Feb 16). Two food-centered holidays practically back to back?! That calls for a chocolate almond celebration.

In honor of National Almond Day, the folks at California Almonds sent me a "life hack" kit of almond goodies, tips, and recipes. And they're giving away one "life hack" kit to a Sweet Foodie reader - enter below this post! I thought it would be fun to create a healthier Valentine's day cookie that combines the best of both holidays:

Cocoa Powder: a potently flavorful, antioxidant-rich, calorie-free aphrodisiac
Almond Butter: an all-natural, creamy, protein-packed, fiber-filled nut butter (and friend to jellies and jams worldwide)

To get all the health benefits from this cookie, make sure you use non-alkalized cocoa powder / non-Dutch Processed cocoa powder. You'll often see it labeled as "natural, unsweetened cocoa powder." Non-alkalized powder has a richer chocolate flavor and way - WAY - more antioxidants than the processed stuff.

Chocolate Almond Butter Cookies

Adapted from Two Peas & Their Pod

Yield: 35 cookies Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup white whole wheat flour

1/4 cup non-alkalized cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup all-natural almond butter (no sugar added)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup skim milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats

1/2 cup Reduced Sugar Craisins

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together whole wheat flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.

3. Using a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment (or use electric beaters), combine almond butter and brown sugar at medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until lighter and fluffy.

4. Add skim milk and vanilla extract and beat until combined, scraping down the sides as necessary.

5. Turn the speed to low and mix in dry ingredients until just combined.

6. With a silicone/wooden spoon or rubber spatula, stir in the oats, Craisins, and chocolate chips.

7. Roll the cookie dough into tablespoon-sized balls and place on the prepared baking sheet 2 inches apart. Gently flatten the dough with your hand (it should be about 1-inch x 1-inch). Bake for 10 minutes, remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

[Disclosure: California Almonds sent me almond products, which I used in this blog post. I was not paid for this post. All opinions are my own.]

Giveaway! Win Your Own California Almonds Life Hack Kit: Enter using rafflecopter below -->

a Rafflecopter giveaway

6 Ways to "Fit" Fitness Into Your Everyday Life - No Gym Required!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 11 Feb 2014 19:40:00 +0000

Hello, Sweet Foodie fans! I’m Megan, and I blog over at The Lyons' Share Wellness, where I share tips on fitness, healthy and delicious food, and overall health. Caroline and I were sorority sisters in college, and I am so happy we’ve been able to reconnect over our mutual passion for helping others live healthier lives.

Caroline has the food portion covered here at Sweet Foodie, so today I want to talk to you about the other major component of a healthy lifestyle … fitness. If you’re like most Americans, you know that you “should” be exercising, but find it nearly impossible to squeeze into your busy life. In fact, the CDC reports that only about 20% of Americans meet the aerobic and muscle strengthening portions of the government’s physical activity recommendations!

(source)

Personally, I find exercise to be a huge source of stress relief, energy, and self-confidence, but if you shudder when you even hear the word “exercise,” I’m here to help you find ways to sneak some movement into your day-to-day life without setting aside a huge portion of time to hit the gym.

I can’t get started on my tips without covering just a few benefits of exercise, to make sure you’re motivated. The list could go on for quite some time (I elaborated a bit more in this blog post), but here are a few of my favorites:

Lower risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, some forms of cancer, and many other chronic conditions (The US Department of Health & Human Services lists some here)
Weight loss or maintenance
Better mood and increased energy
Stress relief and general mental clarity

The best news is that you can get the benefits of exercise in many different ways – not just by spending hours on the treadmill or the elliptical machine. Here are my top tips to fit exercise into your busy life:

Only answer the phone when you’re on your feet. When my phone rings, I automatically stand up from my desk. Most of us spend too much time sitting at our computers, so standing up while you’re on the phone can be a great way to stretch out your legs. If I’m at home, I might do some squats while I’m on the phone, or if at all possible, I head outside and take a short walk while chatting.

Forget the car. I have a rule with myself that I’m “not allowed” to drive my car anywhere within a mile. Fortunately, I live in a great area where I can walk to do several errands, as well as go to restaurants and bars all by foot. My husband and I also have a goal of trying a new restaurant that we can walk to every single month. Bonus points if you have to carry bags back home from your errands!

Grease the groove. I recently did a blog post about “greasing the groove,” or creating exercise habits that go along with everyday tasks. For example, every time I open Facebook, I do 15 push-ups. You’d be amazed at how much exercise you can fit into your day without ever spending more than 60-seconds at a time doing it!

Find a fun activity and do it with a friend. Think about what you liked as a child. Did you dance every time the music came on? Try a Zumba, step, or dance class at a local gym. Were you always outside? Go for a walk, a run, or a bike ride together. Did you love your T-ball team? Sign up for an adult kickball team – a great way to make new friends and get some exercise.

Sign up for a race. Races are not just for those who want to win. In fact, signing up for a local 5K or 10K is a great way to motivate yourself to get active … somehow, seeing the date looming on your calendar and knowing that you’ve already paid for the race helps you find that extra little bit of time in your day where you could be exercising. The atmosphere and can-do attitude of race day is incredibly motivating, too!

Do short, at-home interval workouts. Quick bursts of intensity are just as good (or even better) for you than long, lower-intensity exercise sessions. So if you really want to make it count, work hard for just a short amount of time! You can find quick interval workouts with minimal equipment on YouTube or Pinterest, or check out some of my Lyons’ Share Workouts and a post I did on fun ways to exercise at home or in your hotel room! Here’s one example of a 15-minute workout I like to do when I’m short on time (see my original post for explanations of each move and video demonstrations).

See? It doesn’t have to be so hard. I want to challenge you to do at least one of these today. I bet you’ll feel energized and accomplished! If you want more tips on living a healthy lifestyle, feel free to subscribe to my blog to get email updates, or find me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, or Twitter!