Quinoa: The super food!

You've seen it in the grocery store, you've probably even heard that it's supposed to be good for you, but what exactly is quinoa and what can you do with it?

I'm glad you asked! Quinoa /"keen-wah"/ is a grain-like seed that has a variety of proven health benefits. Unlike wheat or rice, its a complete protein which means that it contains all 9 essential amino acids! It is packed with dietary fiber, calcium, B vitamins, phosphorus, magnesium and iron (although, the amounts of vitamins, minerals, etc vary by quinoa color). It's also gluten-free and easy to digest.

Quinoa comes in a variety of colors- while black, red, and white are most common, and is a great substitute for rice or grains! It tastes great in salads, stuffings, pilafs, and veggie burgers or even as breakfast cereal! It has a fluffy texture when cooked and a slightly nutty flavor. Another great thing about this superfood is that it's super quick and easy to cook! It is prepared much like rice and should be rinsed before cooking (unless stated otherwise on the packaging). Recipes usually call for 1 part quinoa to 2 parts water, but using vegetable or chicken broth gives it an amazing flavor! It cooks faster than rice (usually 10-18 minutes) but can also be rolled into flakes or ground into powder making it a useful substitute in cooking or baking. 

So give it try try if you haven't already! Find out what all the hype is about for yourself. You will not regret it! Here is one of my favorite quinoa recipes! (pictured)

Quinoa with Black Beans, Corn, and Feta

(Serves 6, Prep time 15 minutes, Total time 1 hour)

3/4 c quinoa, rinsed and drained

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp olive oil

1/2 lg onion, chopped (about 3/4 c)

3/4 c frozen corn kernels

1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder

Juice of 2 to 3 limes (4-6 Tbsp)

3 oz feta cheese, crumbled

1/3 c cilantro

1. In medium saucepan, bring 1 1/4 cups water (or broth) to a boil over high heat. Stir in quinoa and salt. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until quinoa is cooked but still firm to bite, and water is evaporated, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 10 minutes.
2. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly brown. Add corn, cook about 2 minutes, then add beans and cook for another 2 minutes. Transfer to large bowl. Add quinoa, cumin, chili powder, and lime juice to taste and gently stir to combine. Stir in feta and cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Nutrition (per serving) 198 cal, 9 g protein, 29 g carbs, 5 g fiber, 4 g sugar, 6 g fat, 2.5 g saturated fat, 429 mg sodium

For more info about nutritional benefits and other great ideas on ways to prepare quinoa, check out these links!

Quinoa: Health benefits, Nutritional Profile

What is Quinoa? One of the World's Healthiest Foods

Quinoa for breakfast

25 Quinoa Recipes That Are Actually Delicious

Making time for YOU!

       "Did I brush my teeth this morning?"-check. "Did I remember to leave food for the dog?"-check. "Did I eat today?"- check. "Granted, my "meal" consisted of a few left over chicken nuggets at the bottom of my purse compliments of my toddler, it was still food". "Did I turn in the super important invoice that my boss asked me to deliver asap......"-YIKES!!!

       How often is the dialogue in your head a long to-do list!? We check emails and text messages, we organize business meetings and parent teacher meetings, we take kids to practice and get dinner ready, we plan and we over-see and we analyze! We do so much and yet there still never seems to be enough time in the day to get it all done! The "stuff" of life has a way of just piling up, much like the laundry basket that is overflowing in the corner of the laundry room! When will the madness end!!?  

        We are constantly being stretched in several directions at once and giving our time, energy, and attention to so many other things around us. Well guess what, it's important that you make time for yourself as well! I'm not giving you a pass to become a self absorbed, selfish schmuck who sits around posting selfies all day! But I am saying that having a bit of "you-time" is not only important to your sanity, it is necessary for your health. You can be a better friend, parent, sibling, boss, neighbor, or co-worker when you are feeling your best inside and out. You can not give what you do not have, and if you are nearly faint with exhaustion from being on the go all the time, you are not giving your best. Not only do those around you feel the impact, but you suffer as well-mentally, physically, emotionally.

        Have you ever walked past a park or just sat outside in your front yard and watched the neighborhood kids play or ride their bikes. They don't have a care in the world! They aren't checking their watch or answering business calls

      There are 1,440 minutes in each and every day. All I am asking is for you to spend 60 minutes every day, with at least 30 of those minutes involving some form of exercise, for yourself. 

Quick HEALTHY meal tips!

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(Photo courtesy of www.myrecipes.com)

Life is busy! Between work, family, friends, and the occasional melt-down, cooking is usually at the bottom of the totem pole! It becomes so easy to fall into the snares that convenience provides: fast food, savory comfort foods, or sugary snacks. It all looks so enticing after a long day and you are tired and the family is on the verge of a hunger uprising! But stop, take a deep breath, and take comfort in knowing that things are about to get easier!

Preparation is crucial to any plan of action. You need a game plan that will equip you with strategic ways to cook smarter, make the most of your time, and ensure that the meals that you prepare are not only healthy, but a delicious time of fellowship that the entire family will enjoy!

Here are a few key guidelines to help!

• Each week, choose one day to come up with your meals for that week. Have fun with it! Choose a theme or a region of the world to gather inspiration. Get input from your family. Don’t be afraid to try something new!
• Take a shopping list with you to the grocery store! Shopping for groceries can be frustrating, not to mention overwhelming and tiresome! Have a plan of attack and stick to it! A shopping list with all of the ingredients you’ll need for your culinary adventure will help you stay on track.
• Shop for fresh ingredients! Try to avoid boxed, canned, or pre-packaged ingredients! Bottom line: if it can sit on a shelf for several weeks, it is doing the same thing in your body!
• Buy in bulk! Most of the time, it’s cheaper to buy in bigger quantities! Perishable foods such as vegetables can be chopped and stored in freezer bags! It makes life so much easier when the chopping is already done!
• Remember that practice makes perfect! Preparation and organization does NOT come naturally for everyone, but don’t get frustrated! Keep trying, and eventually it’ll be a walk in the park! The most important thing to remember is the reasons why you have decided to make this life-style change: You can only be the best you for your family and friends if you are AROUND and healthy!

Now that you have a game plan, it’s time to put it into action! Find recipes that are healthy, filling, and easy to add to your repertoire, and make magic happen! There’s nothing like a home-cooked meal shared among family! Here are a few tasty recipes from Cooking Light: fresh food fast weeknight meals to get you started! Happy, healthy feasting!

Setting REALISTIC fitness goals - and sticking to them!

Another year, another resolution that this will be the year you get fit, eat healthier, behave a little nicer towards your in-laws… Sounds like a great idea, again. But what will make this year different than all the past years? Do you have a plan?

Being able to see the big picture is very important and necessary to your overall success. However, setting monthly or even weekly attainable goals will not only give you something manageable to focus on, but it also makes the daunting task of where to start or how to begin less overwhelming.

First, let’s start by understanding that fitness and feeling your best physically should be a way of life! Your mindset should be to embrace physical activity as a means to improve your health and quality of life. This first step is critical to staying on track! You must view exercise and fitness as a lifestyle change and not a one-time conquest!

Next, writing out how much weight you would like to loose in 6 months or how to transition into healthy eating habits in the next 3 months. Whatever your goals are, write them down and set a realistic time frame that you will be able to manage. The time frame will help you stay on track and give you a target to work towards. You can even gather inspiration from certain events in you life like a wedding you will be in or a class reunion that’s coming up, or the summer vacation that you have planned.

Then, as with any task, start at the beginning! In other words, if your goal is to be able to run a mile without stopping, you aren’t going to start off by trying to take on that entire mile on the first try. You have to take baby steps and walk before you run, literally! Set a goal to be able to run one mile in one month. On week 1, plan to dedicate 4 days out of the week to going to the track or getting on the treadmill. See how long you can run before you have to stop. Some people will be able to run for longer periods of time than others, but the important thing is to see where you are so that you can get an idea of how to improve. On week 2, try to run more than you walk. This might cause you to push yourself a little harder, but that’s ok! Don’t stop when you are tired, stop when you are finished! By week 3, you should be feeling stronger and ready to take on three laps without having to stop too much. The excitement of your success thus far and the knowledge of where you started verses where you are now should motivate you push harder! There’s nothing quite like the reward of seeing results! Week 4, bring on the mile! You’ve been working hard, you’ve been training for this moment, now execute! And once you’ve accomplished your goal, set new goals! Never stop striving to push further on your fitness journey!

If your goal is to drop 20 pounds in a month, the same concept applies. Set goals to loose 5 pounds per week. Pay attention to portion sizes, eat slowly, and stop eating when you are full. Make your meal cut-off time at 7pm meaning no midnight snacks or refrigerator raids. Try cutting out fast food or eating out everyday on the first week. On the second week, increase your water intake to at least three 16-ounce bottles daily and cut way down on sugary foods and beverages. On week 3, try to decrease the amount of bread or flour-based foods you consume and eat more leafy greens, fruits, and whole grains. On week 4, scale back on dairy products and make substitutions like olive oil instead of butter or almond milk instead of regular milk. Keep building on health-forward choices and you will see the positive results!

These are just examples, but this approach can be applied to any of your fitness goals! The key to adhering to your resolution is to take it one day at a time! Don’t beat yourself up if you miss a day or two, life happens! The important thing to focus on is your determination to make progress, even if it takes a little longer than you initially planned. DON’T GIVE UP! You can either be your biggest opponent or your greatest ally, but YOU hold the power. Choose to be great! Choose to stay committed to improving yourself!