Source: wearepartnersin.com via Penny on Pinterest
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Happy Father’s Day
16 Saturday Jun 2012
Posted in General
Monthly Archives: June 2012
Book Review – Veganomicon
15 Friday Jun 2012
I am not a vegetarian, but do eat lots of vegetarian food. My sister bought me this book because she knows that I teach a vegetarian class and that I am always experimenting with vegetarian dishes. I actually think this really is the ultimate vegan cookbook, just as it says on the front cover. The book is not only well laid out, but has an EXCELLENT opening section, explaining what staples to stock your pantry with, proper use of kitchen tools, how to understand cooking and prepping terminology (julienne vs. dice or mince, etc.), how to understand the basics of various cooking methods, etc. The recipes are extremely well written, with very wonderful introductions for each recipe that make you feel like the authors are speaking directly to you. Of course, the recipes are wonderful! My top rating to this book that I believe vegetarians and non vegetarians alike will enjoy. 🙂
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Macadamia, Kale and Tofu Burgers
13 Wednesday Jun 2012
Posted in General, Healthy Inspirations, Recipes
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 TBSP Dijon mustard
- 2 TBSP A1 sauce
- 2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup finely sliced kale (with stems removed)
- ¼ cup finely chopped onion (we like a sweet onion)
- ¼ cup diced macadamia nuts (I used Trader Joe’s dry roasted & unsalted diced)
- 12 oz firm tofu (drained)
- olive oil (for cooking)
- 4 buns/rolls of your choice
- 1 avocado
- 1 TBSP mayonnaise (I used veganaise)
- In medium sized mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Knead together with hands until blended.
- Shape into patties. Makes 4 to 5 large sliders or 3 to 4 large regular patties.
- Lightly oil a non-stick pan with olive oil and bring to medium heat on stovetop.
- Add patties to pan and brown on both sides. Approximately 4 to 5 minutes per side.
- While patties are cooking toast buns in a non-stick pan on medium heat.
- In a small bowl, combine avocado and mayonnaise and set aside.
- Assemble burgers and top with avocado mixture and roasted peppers and/or tomatoes.
- Enjoy!
*Garnish with: tomatoes and/or roasted red bell peppers
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My 9th “What I Ate Wednesday”
13 Wednesday Jun 2012
Posted in General, Healthy Inspirations
Tags
foodjournal, foodlog, nugo, peanutbutterpuffins, peasandcrayons, veggiegrill, whatiatewednesday, wiaw
Hello everyone! Happy “What I Ate Wednesday”. This week has been full of lots of quick meals and snacks, I am getting ready to take the DTR test and studying has to take priority for now. Thank you Jenn for hosting the WIAW. Check out Jenn’s blog Peas and Crayons.
This is what I ate:
Breakfast (6:30am)
After my morning jog, I made a blueberry banana smoothie. Recipe
Coffee and a Nugo bar.
A bowl of peanut butter puffins.
Lunch (1:00pm)
A vegan Santa Fe Crispy Chickin sandwich and a green salad from the Veggie Grill.
A banana on the run.
My husband has been making these wonderful salads a couple times a week. This salad has seared tuna, avocado, roasted red bell pepper, mixed greens and any veggies we happen to have and a simple homemade dressing. I will post the recipe soon. Click here for the recipe.
Thank you for stopping by! I hope your day was full of healthy meals.
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Three cheers for the home gardeners!!!
11 Monday Jun 2012
Posted in General, Healthy Inspirations
My friend Diana sent me a picture of some beautiful cucumbers that she grew in her garden. I was also impressed to find out that she was growing several varieties of peppers, tomatoes, melons, and squash. I really admire all of you home gardeners out there. I have home delivered organic produce because I don’t have enough confidence to have my own home garden, so I truly respect those that are successful with growing their own food! Not only are you eating organic, but you are also decreasing your carbon footprint, saving money, beautifying your garden, and achieving personal fulfillment with your creation! 🙂
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June 10th – Exercise Log
10 Sunday Jun 2012
Posted in Exercise Log, General
Tags
Source: healthy-is-the-way-to-go.tumblr.com via Jennifer on Pinterest
6/10/12 Walk/Hike 6 miles, Weight Train 15 min √
6/11/12 Off √
6/12/12 Walk/Jog 2 miles, Piyo 1 hr X
6/13/12 Walk/Jog 2 miles, Weight Train 15 min √
6/14/12 Yoga 1 hr √
6/15/12 Walk/Jog 2 miles, Weight Train 15 min X
6/16/12 Off √
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Writing for Weight Loss
08 Friday Jun 2012
Posted in General, Healthy Inspirations
Tags
caloriecount, calorieking, fitday, journalingforweightloss, myfooddiary, recordingfoodintake, weightloss
Source: google.com via Jennifer on Pinterest
Most of us know what we should do to lose weight for the most part but for some reason some of us cannot seem to make it happen. I think the key to losing weight is keeping a food journal. I plan on starting a food journal next week, I have kept one in the past and it was very helpful. And once I get in the habit, I actually enjoy reviewing my diet and seeing where I can make changes.
Food journaling works because it makes you aware of exactly what you are eating. If you honestly keep track of everything you eat then it is easier to make adjustments. A food journal will allow you to discover where your diet detours and notice patterns. Also, since you are accountable for every bite you take, indulging becomes harder. With knowledge of your eating patterns, you will be able to see your bad habits. Once you understand where your bad habits are you can work on breaking them. This awareness puts you in control.
To get started food journaling, find a system that works for you. A simple notebook (my choice), an online journal or smart phone app will all work. No matter which system you choose, start by recording everything you eat and keep track of accurate quantities. At first, it might be helpful to measure everything you eat. This will give you a good idea of the portions you are consuming. In my food journal, I also keep track of my exercise, water intake and weigh-ins (I usually weight myself a couple of times a week). In addition, you could create a hunger scale and record how hungry you are at each meal. Tracking your moods can be helpful, if you are over eating for emotional reasons. Also, once a month I take measurements (bust, waist, hip and etc), it can be motivating to see changes.
If you are interested in losing weight, try journaling with me. Please share your tips and progress.
Here are a few online food journals (I am not recommending them because I have never tried them).
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The Best Minestrone Soup I Have Ever Had!
06 Wednesday Jun 2012
Tags
kuletos, kuletosminestrone, minestrone, minestrone recipe, minestrone soup, minestrone soup recipe, minestronesoup, soup, soup recipe
Kuleto’s minestrone
This is truly the BEST minestrone soup that I have ever had. For those of you that are not familiar with the culinary SOS section of the Food section of the LA Times, it is a great food column that is written in response to readers’ requests for dishes that they have tried at restaurants and wish to replicate at home. This is a recipe from Kuleto’s In San Francisco. It really is delicious. I know my recipes are usually simplistic and made up from things I have in pantry/refrigerator, but this time, I went all out and am actually posting a recipe that I followed to the “T” and was absolutely delicious! TIP: In my opinion, this recipe should be doubled or tripled because it is so delicious. You’ll want to take it for work the next day. 🙂
Ingredients:
3 TB olive oil, divided
2 oz. diced pancetta
½ cup diced onion
½ cup finely diced carrot
2 TB finely diced fennel bulb
½ cup finely diced celery
¼ tsp. minced garlic, from about 1 clove
1 ½ tsp. chopped thyme
2 ½ tsp. chopped basil
¾ tsp. chopped rosemary
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
2 cups chicken broth
Salt and white pepper
½ cup sliced mushrooms
¼ cup diced zucchini
½ cup diced broccoli rabe
¾ cup orzo pasta (from about ¼ cup uncooked)
½ cup cooked white beans
2 ½ tsp. chopped parsley
2-3 TB basil pesto, divided
- In a large heavy bottomed saucepan, heat 1 TB oil over medium high heat until hot. Add the pancetta, onion, carrot, fennel, celery, garlic, thyme, rosemary and basil, and sauté until the veggies are lightly softened and the mixture is aromatic, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes and broth, and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce the hat to a gentle simmer, cover the pan, and cook the soup base until the flavors are married and the veggies are soft, about 45 minutes. You should have about 1 quart soup base (add additional water if needed to bring the volume to 1 quart). Taste and season with ½ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. pepper, or as desired.
- When the soup base is almost done, prepare the mushrooms and the rest of the veggies: in a medium, heavy bottomed pot, heat the remaining 2 TB oil over medium high heat until hot. Stir in the mushrooms, zucchini and broccoli rabe until crisp-tender and lightly colored, 6-8 minutes.
- Stir in the soup base, the cooked pasta and beans, and the chopped parsley, and cook until the soup is hot. Taste once more and adjust the salt and pepper if desired. This makes about 1 ½ quarts of soup. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish each with ½ TB of pesto.
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My 8th WIAW!
06 Wednesday Jun 2012
Posted in General, Healthy Inspirations
Welcome everyone! Happy “What I Ate Wednesday”! This month’s theme is “Sensible Snacking.” I always try to have sensible snacks and most of the time I succeed but not always. 🙂 Hope everyone is having a good week so far. Thank you to Jenn at Peas and Crayons for hosting the WIAW!
This is what I ate:
Breakfast (7:00am)My usual coffee with hazelnut milk and stevia in my Diamond Jubilee mug for the occasion.
Cottage cheese with pineapple chunks.
Oven roasted cauliflower.
Tofu bowl with black beans and brown rice from Wahoo’s. Someday I want to recreate this at home, the tofu is marinated in a Polynesian sauce and I really like it.
My first really tasty peach of the year. 🙂
A simple kale salad.
Thank you for stopping by. I hope your day was full of healthy meals.
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The Health Benefits of Vitamin D
04 Monday Jun 2012
Posted in General, Healthy Inspirations
Source: boodahboy.com via Josy on Pinterest
As a fat-soluble vitamin, vitamin D is critical to health and wellness. Vitamin D is often called the “sunshine vitamin” because it is the only vitamin that can be made by the human body from the skins response to sunlight. The Institute of Medicine recommends adults up to the age of 70 need 600 IU’s of vitamin D per day and adults older than 70 need 800 IU’s per day.
Vitamin D has many benefits, from the regulation of calcium and phosphorus metabolism contributing to strong bones. Also, it aids in the regulation of insulin metabolism and blood sugar balance helping to prevent type 2 diabetes. In addition, vitamin D assists in the regulation of blood pressure and cardiovascular health. Contributing to the prevention of high blood pressure, heart attacks, congestive heart failure and stroke. Moreover, vitamin D promotes a strong immune system and protects against cancer. Vitamin D also reduces chronic fatigue and stress.
Sun exposure is an excellent source of vitamin D, but many foods contain adequate amounts. Vitamin D can be found in fish, cod liver oil, pork, beef liver and eggs. Also, dairy products such as milk, cheese and yogurt. Vegans can find vitamin D in mushrooms, soy products, fortified cereals and orange juice. Vitamin D is necessary for good health and there are many benefits to including foods that are a high source of vitamin D, supplements or sunlight in your day.
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