Meatless Mondays

Goal

*Reduce meat consumption by 15% to improve personal health and the health of our planet.

Benefits

*Live longer, spend less, reduce heart disease, curb obesity, reduce carbon footprint.

Meatless Monday Believer--Paul McCartney

All You Need is Vegetables

The Beatle says: "Having one designated meat-free day a week is actually a meaningful change that everyone can make, that goes to the heart of several important political, environmental and ethical issues all at once. For instance it not only addresses pollution, but better health, the ethical treatment of animals, global hunger and community and political activism."

Try this for lunch on Monday: Goat cheese grilled cheese on whole wheat with a fresh salad

Summer Sangria

It's BBQ season! Instead of washing down your turkey burgers with beer (yes I said turkey burgers), try a refreshing and delicious cocktail.

Sangria

1 bottle of Cabernet (or any red) or a Sauvignon Blanc (or any white)

1 cup of fresh squeezed orange juice

1 cup of club soda

fresh cut slices of fruit of choice--such as peaches, oranges, apples, or grapefruit

1 pint of fresh raspberries

Let chill for one hour

*Red wine (in moderation) has been linked to lowering risk of ovarian cancer, Type 2 diabetes and protects against heart disease.

*Fresh fruit provides for antioxidants

Meredith sipping on our White Sangria Cocktails

Balance

A balanced meal should include a carbohydrate, a protein, and a healthy fat. It also prevents cravings because each meal is satisfying and complete.

Carbohydrates are the body’s source for fuel. Choose complex carbohydrates as opposed to simple processed carbs.

*whole grains, oats, brown rice, whole wheat, fruits, and vegetables

*aim for about 45-65% of daily calories to come from carbs

Protein helps the body to build, maintain and replace tissue, maintains proper immune function, and provides essential enzymes.

*meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, tofu,nuts, beans, seeds, peas, grains, quinoa, and soy beans

*aim for about 10-35% of daily calories to come from protein

Fat is a concentrated form of energy and when paired with a carb slows down digestion to keep blood sugar stable. Fat is required to absorb vitamins and maintains cell membranes.

*omega 3 fatty acids found in fish and flaxseed, as well as olive oil, avocados, nuts and seeds

*aim for about 20-35% of daily calories to come from healthy fats

Try this balanced breakfast–Milk and Honey Granola with yogurt (whole grain oats, sunflower seeds, almonds, dried cherries, coconut, and honey)

Superfoods

SUPERFOODS

*Provide disease-fighting nutrients

*Are highly filling

*Nutritional powerhouses

*Heart-healthy antioxidants

*Tools for losing weight or weight control

Wild Salmon Olive Oil Goji Berries Apples

Blueberries Oranges Pomegranates

Almonds Walnuts Broccoli Beans

Chiles Quinoa Yogurt Eggs

Oats Lentils Avocado Cherries

Spinach Dark Chocolate Tomatoes

Alex's Fav:

The Skinny on FIBER

Why is fiber so important?

-improves digestion

-reduces risk of colon cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer

-lowers cholesterol

-prevents heart disease

-flattens your belly/aids in weight loss

-keeps you feeling full and releases hunger-satisfying chemicals in the brain

The recommended amount of fiber daily is 25-30 grams.

Best sources of fiber (in grams)

-Fruits

3 figs=10.5

1 mango=4.5

½ cup raspberries=4.6

1 apple or pear=4

1/2cup of blueberries=3.8

1 banana or 1 cup strawberries=3

Raisin Bran Cereal with berries=8.4 grams of fiber

-Vegetables

½ avocado=6.7

4-5 artichoke hearts=4.5

1 baked potato with skin=4.2

1 baked potato without skin or 1 sweet potato with skin=4

½ cup cooked peas=4.4

-Legumes

½ cup kidney beans or black beans=9.7

½ cup chick peas=6

-Nuts

¼ cup almonds=4

¼ cup walnuts=2

Whole wheat pasta with arugula=8.2 grams of fiber

-Whole grains

1 cup whole wheat pasta=5.7

½ cup quinoa=5

½ cup rolled oats=4

1 slice whole wheat bread=3

whole wheat English muffin=5

Falafel Sandwich with Yogurt-Tahini Sauce=14.7 grams of fiber

A Day In the Life...

BREAKFAST

My take on an Elvis Presley

2 Kashi Waffles (7 whole grains)

Organic crunchy peanut butter

Sliced bananas

LUNCH

The Alex Salad

2 cups chopped arugula

2 cups chopped romaine lettuce

2 diced pears

¼ cup crumbled goat cheese

¼ cup craisins

¼ cup toasted walnuts

thin slices of grilled chicken (quick and easy--Whole Foods prepared rosemary chicken breast)

balsamic vinaigrette or olive oil and lemon juice

DINNER

Pepper Seared Tuna with Mango Salsa

6 oz fresh tuna steaks

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp olive oil

salt to taste

Mango Salsa

1 cup store-bought fresh salsa

1 mango chopped

Yoga and Words of Wisdom

“The first wealth is health” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Our food should be our medicine and our medicine should be our food” –Hippocrates

“To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art” –La Rochefoucauld

Be a YOGI

“Plant the seed of meditation and reap the fruit of peace of mind.” -Remez Sasson

Yoga believes in energy conservation. Yoga poses allow the body to produce energy while retaining what supply it already has. Anna Yoga is a branch of yoga that is devoted to food for health and happiness. Your relationship with food is a way to achieve your ideal weight and emotional and physical balance. The yoga philosophy of food is based on a balanced whole foods diet where ingredients are in their natural form.

Have Fun With It!

Fly Yoga is a mix of yoga, aerial arts, dance and strength training where participants float from pose to pose. Get into deeper poses with the specialized hammocks while feeling weightless.

Try it at I.D. Gym in Lincoln Park, Chicago

Corn Pop

I found out the hard way that I was severely allergic to corn. When my doctor handed me a list of foods that I had to give up I was shocked. Corn is in EVERYTHING, I thought. I had to start reading labels and I had to shun anything with corn syrup, corn starch, corn flour, modified food starch, dextrose…This meant a lot more than giving up popcorn, corn flakes, and tortilla chips. My major enemy became high fructose corn syrup.

But hey, I guess here’s my chance to use the phrase: what a blessing in disguise!

Princeton researchers experimented with lab rats and found that a diet with high fructose corn syrup caused more weight gain than eating regular sugar and even more compared to a high fat diet.

HFCS is...

~Made by changing the sugar to fructose which causes it to have a longer shelf life.

~Found more harmful to our bodies than plain sugar.

~Increases risk for obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and coronary heart disease.

~Can be found in soda, juices, breads, cereals, processed meats, dairy products like yogurt, condiments, sauces, canned fruits and vegetables, crackers, candies, jams, and syrups.

For an extensive list check out: http://www.accidentalhedonist.com/index.php/2005/06/09/foods_and_produc

ts_containing_high_fruct

List of alternatives and food that do not have HFCS

http://www.stophfcs.com/list.html

The Fiesta isn’t Over…

Mexican food is my favorite cuisine so I felt awful the first time I sat down to freshly warm tortilla chips and homemade guacamole and salsa. However, I was able to accommodate for my elimination diet.

*Shrimp Ceviche (Shrimp, avacado, pico de gallo, lime, cilantro)

*Chicken Fajitas (instead of using a tortilla make it into a salad and mix in the guacamole and salsa) Ask for rice that is made with no corn

*Ask for flour tortillas instead of corn (dip into guac!)

Yin and Yang

I love sweet and salty food combinations. Therefore, a major staple in my diet is trail mix. Make your own trail mix at youbars.com and they ship you single-serving bags for portion control and portability. They also calculate the nutrition facts for your very own creation.

http://youbars.com/mixatrailmix

Alex's Mix

Almonds, Pistachios, Dried Cherries, Goji Berries, Pumpkin Seeds, Dark Chocolate Covered Raisins

My salty/sweet desire also means after dinner I crave chocolate. I took a 3 credit course on Chocolate at Indiana University and learned everything you could ever learn about chocolate. I stick to dark chocolate which has the most benefits. Dark chocolate contains flavanoids which are antioxidants associated with benefits to the cardiovascular system. Benefits also include lowering LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesteral by 5 points. Not to mention, chocolate improves emotional health and happiness too.

After much research (by eating massive amounts of chocolate) I found a chocolate bar that will cure anybody's craving. Chocolove uses organic chocolate and makes amazing flavor combinations such as: crystalized ginger, cherries and almonds, hazelnuts, orange peel, chillies and cherries, raspberries, toffee and almonds. My all time favorite is cherries and almonds.

Other ways to satisfy your yin and yang cravings: popcorn + dark chocolate m&ms, bananas or apples with almond butter or crunchy organic peanut butter, dark chocolate covered mini pretzels (Trader Joes), watermelon and feta salad, and sweet and sour tofu