Mediterranean Spicy Spinach and Lentil Soup

Ingredients

extra virgin olive oil, I used Hojiblanca Spanish EVOO
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
1 large garlic clove, chopped
kosher salt and black pepper
1 ½ teaspoon ground coriander
1 ½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 ½ teaspoon sumac
1 ½ teaspoon crushed red peppers
2 teaspoon dried mint flakes
Pinch of sugar
1 tablespoon flour
6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
3 cups water, more if needed
12 ounces frozen cut leaf spinach, no need to thaw
1 ½ cups green lentils or small brown lentils, rinsed
1 lime, juice of
2 cups chopped flat-leaf parsley

Instructions

In a large ceramic or cast iron pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the chopped onions and saute until golden brown. Add the garlic, all the spices, dried mint, sugar, and flour. Cook for about 2 minutes on medium heat stirring regularly.

Now add the broth and water. Raise the heat to high and bring the liquid to a rolling boil; add the frozen spinach and the lentils. Cook for 5 minutes on high heat then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 20 minutes or until the lentils are fully cooked to tender. (Partway through cooking, check the liquid levels, and if you need to add a little bit of hot water.)

Once the lentils are fully cooked, stir in the lime juice and chopped parsley. Remove from the heat and let sit covered for 5 minutes or so. Serve hot with pita bread or your favorite rustic Italian bread.

Recipe courtesy of The Mediterranean Dish, by Suzy Karadsheh.

November 18, 2020November 19, 2020

HOLIDAY WORKSHOP

Holiday Workshop

Sunday 12.6.2020

TIS THE SEASON OF GIVING AND OF GIVING IN……….

THE FIT DIMENSIONS will offer a 60-minute holiday workshop via zoom.

Nina Caron will present simple strategies on how to TAKE CHARGE of the season and rediscover the joy of the holidays.

LEARN HOW TO:

Reduce seasonal stress by planning ahead
Better manage “social eating”
Successfully make over even the most decadent holiday treats
Celebrate guilt-free

We will end the workshop with a “recipe makeover” swap.

DATE: Sunday, 12/6/20

TIME: 4pm

COST: $20/PERSON

HOLIDAY WORKSHOP

Sign up

October 29, 2020February 16, 2021

Yummy vegetarian chili for a cold day

Vegetarian Chili

1 small clove garlic, finely chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 small green pepper, chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

a medium-sized carrot

1 28-ounce can tomatoes

2 4-ounce cans of chopped green chilies

¼ cup bulgur wheat

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 tsp leaf basil

1 tsp lemon juice

½ tsp oregano

½ tsp ground cumin and ½-1 tsp liquid red pepper seasoning

Cook garlic, 2 min. over med.-low heat w/out browning. Add onion, green pepper, celery and carrot. Cook 5 minutes, stirring often. Don’t let veggies brown.

Drain tomatoes, reserving ¼ cup juice. Chop tomatoes. Add tomatoes, ¼ cup juice, undrained kidney beans, undrained chilies, bulgur, chili powder, basil, lemon juice, oregano, cumin and liquid pepper. Bring to boil, then simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes, stirring often.

October 29, 2020February 16, 2021

Breakfast Options – High Protein, High Satiety Value

TOFU SPINACH SCRAMBLE

Ingredients

1 T organic virgin coconut oil

1/4 red onion, sliced

2 large handfuls organic spinach leaves

4 oz extra firm tofu, cut into small cubes

1 T hot curry powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp sea salt

freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 T water

Instructions

Heat skillet over medium heat. Place coconut oil in hot skillet. Add red onion and saute until transparent. Add spinach leaves and cover for 2 minutes. Remove lid and stir with a large spoon. Add tofu cubes on top of the spinach leaves; sprinkle with curry powder, cumin, sea salt & ground pepper. Stir all together, until spinach leaves are totally soft. Add 1 tablespoon water to help seasonings release from bottom of pan, simmering for about 1 minute more. Transfer to plate and ENJOY!

MY FAVORITE SMOOTHIE

1 cup ice

6-8 oz. almond milk

1 frozen banana OR frozen dark cherries or berries(1½ cups)

1½ cups of organic kale

1 scoop multi collagen vanilla protein powder

Just throw it all together in a blender and voila! Instant breakfast! Makes 2 servings.

GREEK YOGURT PARFAIT

1 container of nonfat plain greek yogurt, handful of berries, Bear Naked Fit Granola

BREAKFAST BANANAS

Ingredients:

4 bananas

2 cups low fat cottage cheese

6 Tbsp. strawberry preserves

1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts

1/8 tsp sea salt

Instructions:

Peel and cut each banana lengthwise. Place 2 banana halves in a shallow dish Place 1/2 cup cottage cheese over center of banana and top with 1 1/2 Tbsp preserves, 1 Tbsp. peanuts and pinch of salt. Repeat with remaining ingredients to make 3 more Breakfast Bananas. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional Information (per serving): Calories: 255, Fat: 6 g., Sugars: 25 g., Protein: 17 g., Carbs: 44 g.

STRESS MANAGEMENT

People who are experiencing unusually high levels of stress may benefit from specific dietary guidelines. They are as follows:

o Eliminate or restrict the intake of caffeine

o Eliminate or restrict the intake of alcohol

o Eliminate or refined carbohydrates from the diet

o Increase the potassium-to-sodium ratio in the diet

o Eat regular planned meals in a relaxed environment

o Control food allergies

It is well known that during times of chemical, emotional, psychological, or physiological stress, the urinary excretion of vitamin C is increased, signifying an increased need for vitamin C during these times. I would suggest that you try and increase your dietary intake of vitamin C-rich foods, such as green or red peppers, oranges, grapefruit juice, broccoli, OJ, to name a few.

It is also important to try and keep your blood sugar levels as balanced as possible. As suggested above, try and keep highly refined foods to a minimum and make sure you are drinking enough water….at least 64 ounces/day.

October 29, 2020February 16, 2021

Delicious banana cookies for a snack

Banana Cookies

Ingredients:

2 Large Old Bananas

1 cup of Quick Oats

Sprinkle of Cinnamon

Add You Own Twist:

2 T. Dark Chocolate Chips

1 T. Slivered Almonds

Unsweetened Coconut

Dried Cranberries

The only 3 ingredients you need are the bananas, quick oats, and cinnamon. After that, you can add in any ingredient you desire- try to keep it healthy though. I decided to add 2 T. Dark Chocolate Chips, and then to half of my batch, I added in 1 T. Sliced Almonds.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Mix all ingredients together

Stir in toppings

Lightly coat cookie sheet with cooking spray

Spoon bite-size spoonfuls of ‘cookie dough’ onto cookie sheet

Bake for 12-14 minutes

October 29, 2020February 16, 2021

Turkey Sweet Potato Chili

TURKEY SWEET POTATO CHILI

INGREDIENTS

20oz 93% lean ground turkey
kosher salt, to taste
1/2cup onion, chopped
3cloves garlic, crushed
10oz can Rotel mild tomatoes with green chilies
8oz can tomato sauce
3/4cup water
1/2tsp cumin, or to taste
1/4tsp chili powder
1/4tsp paprika
1bay leaf
1medium sweet potato, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
fresh cilantro, for garnish

Saute ground turkey in large skillet until brown and then add chopped garlic and onion. Add sweet potato, tomatoes and spices. Simmer until potatoes are cooked.

October 29, 2020February 17, 2021

Healthy Heart Living

"Healthy Heart" Living

By: Nina Caron, MS/HUMAN NUTRITION, Certified Diabetes Prevention Lifestyle Coach, ACSM Certified Personal Trainer

THE HUMAN BODY HAS THE AMAZING CAPACITY TO HEAL ITSELF. WE ARE ABLE TO PRACTICE DISEASE PREVENTION AND ARRIVE AT SUSTAINABLE WELLNESS THROUGH LIFESTYLE CHOICES WE MAKE ON A DAILY BASIS. THIS NATURAL HEALING PROCESS CAN ONLY BE ACHIEVED WHEN WE DECIDE TO FOCUS ON THINGS IN OUR LIFE THAT WE HAVE CONTROL OVER, SUCH AS THE QUALITY OF OUR DIET, EXERCISE/PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, AS WELL AS THE ATTENTION WE GIVE TO OUR SPIRITUAL SELVES.

Heart disease, or CHD as it is often referred to as, is the number one cause of death among both men and women in the U.S. There do exist risk factors beyond our control that we need to consider as we age, along with consideration of intelligent lifestyle management. The major risk factors that are beyond our control include the following:

65+ years of age
males in general have a greater risk of heart attack than women
Heredity (including race): children of parents with heart disease are more likely to develop CHD
African Americans are at greater risk for high blood pressure and therefore at a higher risk of heart disease
Mexican Americans, American Indians, Hawaiians and some Asian Americans have a generally higher risk of heart disease than Caucasians
High blood cholesterol increases the risk for CHD: TOTAL CHOLESTEROL includes HDL + LDL + 20% of triglyceride level. People with high blood triglycerides usually have low HDL cholesterol. High triglycerides along with low HDL or high LDL is associated with atherosclerosis.
High blood pressure + obesity, smoking, high cholesterol, or diabetes. Diabetes seriously increases the risk of CHD.

It is important to remember that although some risk factors cannot be changed, we all have the ability to practice the best possible self-care to better manage and even prevent CHD with simple and sustainable lifestyle shifts. The following will make a huge positive impact on quality of life.

“CLEAN EATING”

The Mediterranean diet has long been recognized as one of the healthiest and most delicious ways to eat. Eating a Mediterranean diet can help your heart stay healthy and reduce your risk of obesity. The core concept behind this healthy diet is to eat like the people who live in the Mediterranean region. Fill your plate with fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, whole grains, legumes and fish and enjoy moderate amounts of red wine. I have found that this way of eating is completely “doable”, as long as the individual takes the time to “shop smart” and prep AHEAD OF TIME!

SAMPLE DAY OF “MEDITERRANEAN EATING

Breakfast

6 ounces Greek yogurt topped with 1/2 cup strawberries and 1 teaspoon honey

1 slice whole-grain toast with half mashed avocado

Lunch

1 whole-grain pita with 2 tablespoons hummus and stuffed with 1 cup fresh greens and 2 slices tomatoes

1 cup minestrone soup

1 medium orange

Water with 1 lemon wedge

Snack

1/8 cup sliced almonds

1/8 cup peanuts

Dinner

Salad:

1/2 cup arugula
1/2 cup baby spinach
1 tablespoon shaved Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon vinaigrette dressing

3-ounce salmon topped with 1 teaspoon tarragon and 1 teaspoon mustard over 1/2 cup couscous, 1/2 cup zucchini and 4 spears asparagus

5 fluid ounces red wine (optional)

Dessert

Small bunch grapes

1/2 cup lemon sorbet

EXERCISE AND ITS IMPACT ON PREVENTION AND/OR MANAGEMENT OF CHD

Primary risk factors increase the chances of developing CHD. They are commonly classified as either modifiable (e.g., smoking, high blood pressure, etc.) or non-modifiable (e.g., having immediate relatives with CHD). Regular physical inactivity has a positive impact on every modifiable risk factor for CHD, such as:

High blood pressure: Regular aerobic activities can lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure 5-10 mmHg, which translates into a 10- to 20-percent reduction in heart attack risk.

Cigarette smoking: Smokers who become physically active are more likely to stop smoking or at least reduce the amount they smoke.
Diabetes: Regular aerobic activity has a profound effect on improving resting blood sugar levels and reducing the complications associated with diabetes.
High cholesterol: Individuals who perform regular aerobic activity lower their bad cholesterol (e.g., LDL cholesterol) levels while simultaneously significantly increasing their good cholesterol (e.g., HDL cholesterol) levels.
Obesity: Although regular aerobic physical is associated with moderate weight loss (e.g., a reduction of approximately 5 percent in body weight), this amount of weight loss is associated with positive changes in blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar.

The appropriate amount of exercise required to positively impact the risk factors can be readily demonstrated by the FIT principle: the frequency, intensity and time individuals with CHD are recommended to exercise.

Physical activity recommendations: AHA and ACSM recommend the accumulation of a minimum of 30 to 60 minutes of moderate physical activity four to five times per week, coupled with an increase in daily lifestyle activities, in order to prevent heart attack and death among patients with CHD. It is important to note that exercise can be accumulated in 10- or 15-minute bouts. Thus, individuals can perform three 10-minute or two 15-minute bouts on the days they exercise. In addition, exercise does not have to be vigorous in order to be beneficial regarding its ability to effectively manage CHD. Moderate-intensity exercise examples include brisk walking and light cycling. One method in which to determine if a given activity is moderate or vigorous intensity is the talk test. If an individual can maintain a conversation while they are talking, they are likely exercising at a moderate intensity; if they cannot, they may be exercising vigorously.

Cardiorespiratory Exercise

Adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week.
Exercise recommendations can be met through 30-60 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise (five days per week) or 20-60 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise (three days per week).
One continuous session and multiple shorter sessions (of at least 10 minutes) are both acceptable to accumulate desired amount of daily exercise.
Gradual progression of exercise time, frequency and intensity is recommended for best adherence and least injury risk.
People unable to meet these minimums can still benefit from some activity.

Resistance Exercise

Adults should train each major muscle group two or three days each week using a variety of exercises and equipment.
Very light or light intensity is best for older persons or previously sedentary adults starting exercise.

Two to four sets of each exercise will help adults improve strength and power.
For each exercise, 8-12 repetitions improve strength and power, 10-15 repetitions improve strength in middle-age and older persons starting exercise, and 15-20 repetitions improve muscular endurance.
Adults should wait at least 48 hours between resistance training sessions.

Flexibility Exercise

Adults should do flexibility exercises at least two or three days each week to improve range of motion.
Each stretch should be held for 10-30 seconds to the point of tightness or slight discomfort.
Repeat each stretch two to four times, accumulating 60 seconds per stretch.
Static, dynamic, ballistic and PNF stretches are all effective.
Flexibility exercise is most effective when the muscle is warm. Try light aerobic activity or a hot bath to warm the muscles before stretching.

Neuromotor Exercise

Neuromotor exercise (sometimes called “functional fitness training”) is recommended for two or three days per week.
Exercises should involve motor skills (balance, agility, coordination and gait), proprioceptive exercise training and multifaceted activities (tai ji and yoga) to improve physical function and prevent falls in older adults.
20-30 minutes per day is appropriate for neuromotor exercise.

SPIRITUAL WELLNESS AND ITS IMPACT ON OVERALL WELL-BEING:

Meditation
Yoga
Mindfulness training

Attention to self-connection and spiritual wellness is vitally important to optimal self-care. The willingness to “check in” and become intimately familiar with our own selves will help to complement any other lifestyle modalities boosting our overall wellness.

RESOURCES:

http://www.eatingwell.com/article/288560/7-day-mediterranean-meal-plan-1200-calories/

The Old Ways 4-week Mediterranean Diet Menu Plan

TAKING THE LEAP (Freeing Ourselves from Old Habits and Fears) by Pema Chodron

October 29, 2020February 17, 2021

HEALTHY MEAL PREP FOR A HECTIC WEEK

HEALTHY MEAL PREP FOR THE HECTIC WEEK AHEAD IN 30 MINUTES OR LESS

Nina Caron, MS/HUMAN NUTRITION, ACSM-CERTIFIED PERSONAL TRAINER

It is often overwhelming to think about meal preparation when an intensely busy week looms ahead. However, strategic, efficient food prep on a weekend day will help ensure “clean eating” for the week and save you lots of time and money. No more overly frequent visits to the grocery store or rides to pick up “takeout”. Instead, carve out a 30-minute chunk of your Sunday to prep for a week of tasty, healthy snacks and meals!

ESTABLISH AN “EAT CLEAN” GROCERY LIST. Make sure to keep certain essentials on hand. The truth is that healthy meal prep starts in with an “essentials” list. It is about “smart” shopping and stocking. I have provided The “EAT-CLEAN” grocery list for your review.
SHOP WITH SHORTCUTS IN MIND. Let’s face it…..some weeks are crazier than others. Try and look for already-prepped convenience items like microwaveable brown rice, sliced veggies, prepared salad or cut-up fruit or sliced chicken. FYI….BUTCHER BOY has a great variety of these items. The quality is great.
BE RECIPE SAVVY. Try to find recipes you can prep once and use several times over the course of the week ahead. For example, try making an easy clean-up sheet pan meal or cook a batch of roasted vegetables that can be used in several different wrap or taco recipes or over a baked potato.
WRITE DOWN A QUICK PREP TO-DO LIST in order to stay focused and organized.

EXAMPLES OF WHAT YOU CAN PREP IN 5 MINUTES:

Chop up veggies for snack or for recipes (onions, peppers, sweet potatoes)
Rinse and store your lettuce, fresh herbs, etc
Make a vinaigrette or light dressings for salads
Assemble grab & go bags for snacks (nuts, trail mix, homemade bars)

EXAMPLES OF WHAT YOU CAN PREP IN 15 MINUTES:

Prepare a salad or a dip for the week
Prepare smoothie freezer packs
Cook a bunch of hard-boiled eggs
Cook a batch of overnight oats and divide into containers

EXAMPLES OF 30-MINUTE MEAL PREP:

Prepare a batch of quinoa or brown rice
Chop/steam/roast green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, etc. Broccoli and Balsamic Mushrooms recipe.
Cook quality sources of protein like chicken, fish, grass-fed beef, tofu
Cook a large batch of oatmeal over the stove or in a slow cooker.

SHEET PAN COOKING can be a huge time saver. The following are a few tips to ensure that your “sheet pan” meal turns out as delectable as possible!

7 TIPS FOR PERFECT SHEET PAN

Add in stages. Foods of varying sizes and densities will take different lengths of time to cook. Cook meats first, then add hearty veggies and then the greener veggies last.

Position Wisely. Place whole proteins in the center of the sheet pan and scatter the veggies on the sides.

Aim for Uniform Sizes. Cut veggies to the same size/shape. Find precut meats of same thickness.

Preheat the pan. Place the baking sheet in the oven as it preheats to create a sizzling surface for the food; this will create a browned crust.

Keep Moisture Out. Excess water makes it harder to brown and cook the food. Pat meat and rinsed veggies dry before cooking.

Don’t Overcrowd. Allow room on the pan for air to circulate around the food.

Test Meats. It is difficult to tell when meats are done on a sheet pan. If possible, take their temp with a meat thermometer.

PORTION PERFECT MEAL PREP CONTAINERS. These containers make meal prep so easy and help to reinforce portion control.

Here is the link: https://www.amazon.com/PORTION-Containers-Portion-WARRANTY…/B01DBATDL2