FOOD STORAGE 101

Do you know how to properly store your fruits and veggies? Not everything has to go straight into the refrigerator. Some fruits, especially berries, actually taste better at room temperature. Here’s a quick lesson on where to store your food:

Refrigerate Immediately

• dairy, meats, nuts, seeds
• berries, unwashed (bring to room temp before eating)
• ripe fruit, cut-up fruit
• greens, onions (helps to decrease crying when cutting), most veggies
• whole grains – brown rice, quinoa
• fresh herbs – remove from package and wrap in a damp paper towel. For herbs like parsley and cilantro, trim the bottom with a kitchen scissor and place into a cup of water

Store at Room Temp until ripe, then refrigerate

• tomatoes
• pineapple, mango, pears, peaches, avocado, apricots, apples, bananas, kiwi, citrus fruit, watermelon, cantaloupe, papaya

Store at room temp

• potatoes, sweet potatoes, ginger, garlic
• bread (refrigerate or freeze if not going to use a whole loaf)

Freeze

• meat, poultry, fish – wrap in a freezer-safe zip top bag and try to remove as much air as possible. Date the package and try to use within 6 months
• cooked beans and grains – after you make a big batch, drain them well and divide up into smaller portions and place into freezer zip-top baggies. Flatten them out so you can store them stacked in the freezer
• bananas – when they become super-ripe, peel them and freeze in zip-top bags. Great for making smoothies.
• fresh herbs – extra herbs should be washed and dried before being placed into zip-top bags. Pull them out for future recipes, such as soups, stews, and sauces.
• bread crumbs – grind up leftover bread in the food processor and place into zip-top bags. Use in recipes such as turkey meatloaf or to create a crumb coating on chicken or turkey cutlets or fish fillets.

FOOD SAFETY 101

When people experience gastrointestinal distress (vomiting, diarrhea), they usually think they have the stomach flu. There’s actually no such thing. What they really have is some form of food poisoning brought on by improper food handling. To prevent falling victim to these bugs, you need to know how to handle and store your food.

• Wash your hands with warm-hot soapy water for at least 30 seconds and dry thoroughly.
• Don’t cross-contaminate – use separate cutting boards for produce and proteins and of course, a completely other board for raw meats. Wash your knife with hot, soapy water when switching between different foods and wash your hands after handling raw meat.
• Cook meat to the proper internal temperature (use a food thermometer).
• Do not let cooked food sit at room temperature for more than two hours. Get it stored in sealed containers as soon as possible and into the refrigerator. The bacterial “hot zone” is between 40 and 140 degrees- it multiplies quickly at those temperatures.
• When packaging up hot food, like soup and stews, it’s better to package it into multiple, smaller containers, rather than one large container, so that it cools down faster.
• Reheat leftovers so that they reach a temperature (over 140F) that will kill any bacteria.
• The “sniff” test is not accurate at determining what is safe to eat. General rule: throw out any cooked proteins after 3 days in the fridge and and dairy that’s been open for more than 1 week.

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

• 4 cups cubed butternut squash
  ½ cup onion, chopped
  1 carrot, chopped
  1 granny smith apple, peeled and chopped
  4 cups vegetable broth
  pinch cinnamon and cayenne

Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat and add 1 tbs. canola oil; when hot add onion and carrot and cook 5 minutes, until soft.
Add squash, apple, and broth. Bring to a boil and then turn down heat to a simmer; cook 30 minutes, or until squash is soft.
Puree (in blender or using an immersion blender) and add spices and salt (if necessary).

Top with spiced pumpkin seeds, chopped apple (raw or roasted), roasted butternut squash (in picture), or chives.

To make sure your belly doesn’t leave the party looking like a football, we’ve put together a nifty Super Bowl Survival Guide for you. Have fun, be safe, and root on your team to victory! We hope it’s a close one so we can see all those fun commercials.

• Be prepared – If you’re the party host, make sure at least half of your snacks are figure-friendly. Swap out fried chips for baked ones, have a tray of colorful veggies and lots of healthy dips (hummus, salsa, guacamole), edamame, steamed dumplings, turkey meatballs, veggie chili, chicken skewers, shrimp cocktail. With such a variety of food, your guests won’t even miss the junk. If you’re the guest, make sure to contribute to the buffet by preparing a healthy dish – at least that way you know you’ll have something safe to eat.
• Don’t arrive hungry – One of the biggest mistakes people make is showing up anywhere hungry. You’re just asking for trouble. Have a smart snack or meal containing protein and fiber (apple and almonds, banana and Greek yogurt, cucumber and hummus) about 30-60 minutes before the party.
• Get some pre-game exercise – Undo some of the party food damage before the party by getting in a great workout of interval training and weights.
• Survey the buffet – Before you load up your plate, check out the offerings. Then fill at least half your plate with smart foods (fruit, veggies, salad, chili, hummus), and then add a small amount of something a little naughty, if you so desire. It’s not about deprivation, just making smart choices.
• Sip smarter – Do you love beer with football? If so, then choose a light beer and alternate it with water during the game. Drinking your calories (especially alcoholic ones) is a sure-fire way to overeat at the party and leave you feeling bloated the next day.

Don’t forget to check out all of our great recipes and treat your guests to some amazing eats!

It often takes a milestone for me to stop and reflect on where I’m going and where I’ve been and to fully appreciate all that life has given me. Four beautiful boys, an amazing husband, a tight-knit family (near and far), close friends, work that I love to do, and good health. Unfortunately, I find myself caught up in the craziness of daily life to stop and realize that everything really is good.

Maybe, everyday should be treated as a birthday or other special occasion, so that I can stop and really see how good it is. Even when there is stress in life (and, really, when isn’t there stress?), learning to see the forest from the trees, and managing the stress so that the sunshine (happiness) can come through, is something that I’m going to try to do more often.

If this is something that you can relate to as well, maybe today needs to be your birthday, too. Give yourself the gift of happiness and appreciation.

Today is a gift – that’s why they call it the present.

Causes of childhood weight gain

Excess weight gain doesn’t just happen for no reason. The causes are the usual suspects – too large portions, poor food choices, liquid calories, and too much screen time (tv, computer, and video games).

With regards to food choices, have you ever read the kids menu at a restaurant? The food choices seem to be a constant across the board – hamburgers, hot dogs, grilled cheese, quesadillas, pizza, chicken fingers, corn dogs, french fries, soda, and lemonade. And let’s not forget the ice cream or hot fudge sundae at the end of the meal. Do you notice a pattern? What kids are being offered is just white, refined bread products, high fat meats and cheese, and sugar to wash it all down. why does the restaurant industry have to “dumb down” to kids? Who says that kids won’t eat a piece of grilled chicken, salad, and fresh fruit. If you serve it, they will eat it.

The media assault

It’s no wonder that kids gravitate toward unhealthy food – they’re being bombarded by images of it wherever they turn. TV commercials, ads on the computer, magazine ads, and their favorite TV characters are all “selling” these kid-friendly, waist expanding, unhealthy food items. Have you ever sat down to watch TV with your kids and actually watched the commercials that air during their favorite shows? What you will see is commercial after commercial for sugary cereal (“made with whole grains” some even claim), fast food, and sugar-filled beverages masquerading as “juice.” It’s horrible! And it’s no surprised that the naive and gullible underage audience buys into it.

Start a revolution!

Parents, we challenge you to take back your kids! Don’t give into the kids menu! Stop buying “kid-friendly” cereal, snacks, and drinks when you go shopping. Feed them what you feed yourself – clean, whole, real food. Lots of fresh, seasonal, and organic fruits and vegetables. Plenty of lean and clean protein, like fish, beans, and turkey. Healthy fats like nuts, avocado, and seeds. Wash it all down with water and green or herbal tea. Eat together as a family. There’s plenty of research that shows that kids who eat dinner with their families have a lower rate of obesity.

While you’re at it, turn off that TV and gaming system and get outside and play with your kids! Shoot some hoop. Go for a bike ride. Take a walk or hike. Play tag. Have some fun with your kids and everyone will benefit.

PUFFY APPLE PANCAKE

• 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1/2 cup egg substitute
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tbs. turbinado sugar
• 1 tbs. ground flax seed
• 1 tbs. chia seed
• 2 organic apples, chopped, tossed with 1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, milk, egg, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, flax, and chia seed and whisk until smooth.
3.  Place a medium nonstick skillet on the stove and add 1 tbs. grapeseed oil; heat over medium-high until hot . Add apple pieces and saute for 3 minutes.
4. Add the batter to the pan with the apples and immediately transfer pan to the oven. Bake for 20 minutes or until puffed and golden.
5. Remove from oven and loosen the bottom of the pancake with a spatula. Flip pancake over onto a cutting board and cut into wedges.

Drink more water: First, stop drinking your calories. Put down the juice, smoothies, coffee drinks, soda, and alcohol and fill up on water, green tea (which will increase your calorie burn), and herbal teas. Staying hydrated will increase your metabolism, help your liver with its detox, and prevent you from feeling hungry. Keep a bottle of water with you at all times – in your purse, gym bag, car, and on your desk. Out of sight is out of mind.

Eat more fruits and veggies: You’ve heard this one before – eat more fruits and veggies. It shouldn’t require much explanation, but fruits and veggies are low in calories and high in fiber and disease-fighting antioxidants. Make sure half of your plate is fruits and veggies at every meal. To really speed up the weight loss, eat more veggies than fruit throughout the day.

Plan your meals: You’ve heard the expression, “Prior planning prevents poor performance,” and it applies to your success with weight loss. Plan your meals out for the whole day and prepare everything you need so you can be successful. If that planning includes a trip to the market, make a list and stick to it. If your kitchen is well-stocked, you will be more successful.

Get moving: Lace up your sneakers and get your body moving to burn calories and increase your metabolism. It doesn’t matter what kind of exercise you do – just pick something you like to do. Walk, run, cross train, bike, swim, tennis, yoga, pilates, Cross fit, boot camp, weight train – they will all give you great results if you are consistent and work hard enough that you feel challenged.

Catch some zzzzzs: Getting enough sleep is key to successful weight loss. Aim for at least 7 1/2 hours of sleep each night, which is easy to do if you create an environment that’s conducive to sleep. That means shutting off all electronics (tv, computer, ipad, smart phone) at least one hour before bed so your brain can produce the melatonin necessary to make you feel sleepy. Lower the lights and do some slow, deep breathing for about 5 minutes before bed, and then dab a little pure lavender oil on your pillow and off to dreamland you’ll go.

We all start out the year with the best intentions. Lose weight. Manage stress better. Exercise more. Save money. Improve our relationships. Sound familiar?

So why, by February 1^st, have we slipped back into our old habits?

When you make a resolution, it’s usually a very large, over-reaching goal. Lose 30 pounds. How can you be expected to lose 30 pounds as quickly as you want to, especially when it didn’t get put on overnight? Big goals with no game plan equals big failure. And when we fail, we beat ourselves up over it. After many years of setting up unattainable resolutions, and failing to achieve them, we’ve labeled ourselves as failures and thus have little hope for actually succeeding when we set out to try again. We expect to fail.

Another reason we are doomed to failure is that we are very impatient. We want results and we want it NOW! That’s normal for a society of instant gratification. So, waiting for results is very difficult.

The solution? Take it slowly, be patient, and break those lofty goals into smaller, more achievable goals. Try our “Goal A Day” challenge.

You want to make changes that will last. This year will be different. You will succeed. Here are the tools you need:

• Give yourself specific directions. Vague resolutions like “Lose weight” are doomed for failure. How are you going to do it? How many pounds? Over what time period? Do not give yourself too many options. Set very focused goals, like “I will eat breakfast everyday,” “Walk 20 minutes at lunchtime everyday,” or “Only one glass of wine at dinner.”
• Give yourself inspiration. If your goal is to increase your strength, then find a picture of yourself when you were in better shape and tape it to the refrigerator as motivation. Make the inspiration reasonable – don’t put a picture of an elite athlete as your screen saver or you will set yourself up for frustration.
• Get yourself and keep yourself motivated. Take a look at the larger goal (Losing weight). Now break it down into little, attainable goals (bring lunch to work everyday, drink 8 oz. water first thing in the morning, have produce at every mini meal)
• Make your environments supportive of your goals. Your home and work/school are the two environments that you spend the most time in, so make sure they support the healthy changes you are trying to make. Get rid of your trigger foods and stock the refrigerator, freezer, and pantry full of fruit, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, beans, and lean protein. If you know you always crave sweets at 3 p.m., then have a healthy snack of some sweet berries and a protein, like Greek yogurt, to satisfy your craving and keep your hunger in check. Other environments, like social, travel, and commuting are also situations in which you can make changes to keep you successful. If you know you’re going out for dinner, look at the restaurant menu on-line before you go out and decide what you’ll be ordering. Also, having a light and healthy snack before you go out to eat or to a party will help you from making a poor food decision or overeating.

Remember, change doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a process that takes time. You may occasionally fail or have a set-back. That’s ok and you should even expect that to happen. It’s how you deal with that set-back. Accept it, own it, figure out why it happened, and what you can do to prevent it from happening again in the future. By taking the time to assess your progress – what’s working and what’s not – you will be able to make the necessary changes to allow you to be successful in achieving your health and wellness goals.

Try our “Goal A Day” challenge and make your changes permanent!

1. Exercise: Start your day off with a vigorous workout to get your metabolism fired up and burn some calories. Make sure to do both cardio and weights to really crank up the calorie and fat burning machine. Aim for at least 30 minutes of cardio and 20 minutes of weights. Don’t forget to hydrate with plenty of water.
2. Make a healthy dish to bring: If you are the guest at a holiday party, offer to bring at least one dish. That way you know there’s something nutritious and delicious for you to eat. Make a salad, soup, or oven-roasted vegetables so you have plenty of veggies to fill you up. If your host suggests an appetizer, how about a tray of sliced cucumbers topped with a dollop of hummus and a piece of roasted red bell pepper.
3. Don’t go to the party hungry: The worst thing you can do is to leave the house hungry – an invitation for overeating. Right before you leave, have an apple (or other fruit) and some kind of protein (greek yogurt, string cheese, or almonds). This combination of produce and protein will curb your appetite for hours and prevent you from diving head first into the spinach-artichoke dip.
4. Survey the food before you dig in: It’s always a good idea to get the lay of the land before you start loading up your plate. Check out what’s being offered and then decide what you will choose to eat. If it’s something really decadent and you absolutely insist on having some, then just take a small spoonful and savor the taste experience. One bite is all your brain really needs to feel satisfied.
5. Limit liquid calories: Alcohol, soda, and juice – lots of calories and can actually make you eat more. Save the calories for the food and stick to water, iced tea, and sparkling water.
6. Make half the plate veggies: First fill your plate with plenty of vegetables and then add some protein (fish, chicken, beans). Leave a little room for those heavy side dishes that you just can’t pass up, but remember – one bite is all you need to satisfy a craving.
7. Try the one-bite rule: When it comes to dessert, it’s hard to resist. If there is more than one thing that catches your eye, try the one-bite rule – one bite (not a King Kong size bite) of 3-4 different things, which ends up being the equivalent of one whole dessert. That way you don’t feel deprived nor have you gone overboard.
8. Play it off: In the winter, a post-meal walk is probably out of the question. Why not challenge your family and friends to a friendly game of Wii Sports or Dance, Dance Revolution (or equivalent on another gaming console). Have fun and burn calories!

Vegetarian Chili

• ½ sweet onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 orange bell pepper, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 bag crimini mushrooms, minced in a food processor
• 2 (15 oz.) cans fire-roasted tomatoes
• 2 tbs. chili powder
• 1 tbs. ancho chili powder
• 2 tbs. cumin
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
• ½ can tomato paste
• 1 can white beans (kidney or cannellini)

1. Coat a large stock pot with olive oil cooking spray and place over medium-high heat until hot. Add all vegetables and all spices and sauté about 5-7 minutes, until starting to soften. Add tomato paste and stir into vegetables for 1 minute. Add tomatoes and beans. Stir to combine. Place a lid on pot, lower heat to simmer and allow to cook for 2 hours.
2. Taste and adjust seasoning by adding salt, pepper, if desired.

Condiments: nonfat plain Greek yogurt, shredded cheese, chopped green onion, chocolate chips (believe me, it works), toasted pumpkin seeds, crushed tortilla chips.