Move it Monday.
Davina
16 Comments
healthy eating.
Congratulations Laura! You won the May Move it Monday Contest. Contact me for your gift card. Way to go!!
Here are some tips on Healthy Eating from the Mayo Clinic that I received via my health insurance.
Healthy Eating: 10 Ways to Add Pizzazz
Mayo Clinic Staff
Healthy eating doesn't have to be boring or tiresome. Flavorful food combinations, new cooking ideas and an inventive spirit can add pizzazz to your meals and snacks and keep you motivated to meet your goals for healthy eating. Here are some ways to keep you on course toward healthy eating:
Get out of the rut. Experiment with new foods and combinations. Try mango or peach slices on whole-wheat toast with a little peanut butter and honey. Or toss some mandarin orange or peach slices into a salad.
Think beans. Add chickpeas (garbanzos) or black beans to your lunch or dinner salad. If you typically buy a salad at work and no beans are available, bring a container of beans from home.
Try tofu. Stir-fry with extra-firm or firm tofu rather than meat in Asian-style dishes. Freezing and then thawing tofu before use gives it a firmer, chewier texture.
Go short. Make a nutritious snack rather than a full meal when time is tight. For example, try low-fat corn muffins with apple and cheese slices, or fat-free refried beans mixed with salsa, a small amount of low-fat sour cream and baked tortilla chips.
Be sneaky. Add crushed bran cereal or unprocessed wheat bran to baked products, such as meatloaf, breads, muffins, casseroles, cakes and cookies. Also, use bran products as a crunchy topping for casseroles, salads or cooked vegetables.
Go greener. Vary your salad greens and enjoy the multitude of flavors and textures that are available besides plain iceberg lettuce. Choices include arugula, chicory, collard greens, dandelion greens, kale, mustard greens, spinach or watercress. Buy a different variety each week or just mix and match.
Multitask. Choose a dish that serves as a full meal for quick and simple cooking. Healthy examples include beef, barley and vegetable stew; chicken, vegetable and rice casserole; turkey and bean casserole with tomatoes; or vegetarian chili with diced vegetables.
Spice it up. Use salsa for more than just chips. Whether it's mild, fruity, hot, smooth or chunky, salsa is a great companion for potatoes, vegetables, fish, chicken, meats and even eggs.
Go herbal. Use herbs and spices to add color, savory taste and sensational aroma. Add cilantro to rice or bean dishes. Sprinkle rosemary on roasted potatoes or grilled meats. Add freshly chopped chives to omelets or pasta salads.
Explore the world. Discover and enjoy foods from around the world: Mexican, Latin American, Indian, Greek, French and Asian cuisines, just to name a few. Some of the world's most intriguing ingredients — quinoa, edamame, bok choy, bulgur — are as healthy as they are delicious.
healthy. LIFE.
Reader Comments (16)
*salute* laura!!!!!!
Thanks Karen! You made me work for that one!
Thanks Karen! You made me work for that one!
That's so funny you are blogging about food. Tonight we had a really yummy dinner and I was thinking it would be good to share. I cooked a sweet potato cubed and an onion in the skillet. Then cooked chicken in a skillet. I cover it and kind of steam it. Brown rice. Black refried beans. Guacamole, Garlic Salsa. Put it in a bowl. (no wheat, no dairy) It was SO good. The sweetness of the sweet potatoes and the spicy of the salsa and all the textures. Yummy!
And healthy too!
Great tips! We just instituted meatless mondays to our routine.. which has led to garbonzo/black beans and trying tofu! The Mayo Clinic would be proud. ;)
Larua, it's a good thing I didn't read this LAST night. I had SUCH a case of the munchies. Started off on the healthy end. Almonds. Then an apple. And finally I gave up and had the leftover mac & cheese....oops. I think I need to go to bed earlier. I truly think I was hungry b/c I was tired. But on the flip side, I can't go to sleep hungry ... so what's a girl to do?
Michelle, we do meatless Fridays (throwback to old-school Catholic life), and LOVE it! Seriously! Not only are you being good for your body, but also reducing your carbon footprint!!!!
2 tips from me today:
1. we like to grill veggies on the grill. Last summer, Erik put BUTTER on them. UGH! This time, I told him I wanted to try olive oil on the zucchini + videlia onions. It was HEAVENLY!
2. I have a pari of 5-pound hand weights. They were in my basement, but have recently migrated upstairs. They're in the living room, handy for when I have a free minute or two. Re-heating the mac & cheese? I'll pick them up and do a set of reps (I have 4 different ways I lift, so I can even have a variety!). While reading the paper this morning, I did 4 sets. It was fantastic! My arms are looking good from the longer lifts, but in the middle of things, I can give them a little extra BOOST! :)
oops. I mean "pair" or 5-pound hand weights, not "pari" ....
Since my big walk my metabolism has gone up and I'm HUNGRY all the time! I noticed a puchey belly going on so dusted off my workout tapes and did The FIRM Abs tape. Not too long or painful but feel it today. Walked to school too, so was feeling fine.
A new snack idea I read about...hummus and carrots.
I need to stop staying up so late. It's throwing off my time=space continum.
Powered through 30 minutes worth of yoga and 32 minutes (7 miles) on the bike today.
Just woke up from a nap. Stinkin' tired still.
Making fantastic Greek salad for dinner. Feta chese + greek dressing are calorie-free, right? ;)
Last day of school! Couldn't get the kids up in time to walk to school, so I walked after drop off. Then I met an old friend in San Francisco and we walked for miles! In a city, sometimes it's just plain easier to walk.
Yummy tri-tip with mushrooms and salad for dinner.
Nice 45-50 minute walk today, followed by a guilty bowl of ice cream. i'm going to ban my husband from ever buying that stuff again. he hasn't even HELPED me eat it!!!!!
Orange Roughy (wild, frozen) from Trader Joe's tonight with lemon and dill steamed in the skillet with a lid. Delische!
Ok, so it's summer festival time .... which means rolling coolers w/ brews + festival food. Dangerous combo. But we were nice to both our pocket book and waistlines yesterday by packing our lunch (which included fresh strawberries). We did eat a festival food dinner, but eating a good lunch without all the extra grease was good!
Didn't feel like cooking tonight so made an easy salad with canned Salmon from TJ's and Wasabi mayo. Mixed greens, sliced almonds, dried fruit and fresh cut apricots. Drizzle with Briannes Poppy Seed dressing. It was refreshing and yummy.
Oooo...I'm loving these fresh summer recipe ideas! I made a menu last night for the week that I'm hoping my kids will like...lots of fresh veggies and grilling out. I went walking this morning and did some strength training for my arms. Yay!
Way to work it, Davina!
I'm getting ready to go to the in laws' for 4 days ... I better go do some arm weights NOW before we leave because I know I'll be worthless on vacation! ;)