Juicing is a great pre-workout meal if you have a juicer or simple blender. It is a quick way to get the most nutrients from fruits and vegetables, and is an excellent addition to nutrition for those training for athletic events (like fall running races, etc.). It is also good for post workout recovery as well. [Read more…]
Juicing is a Great Pre-Workout Meal
August 12, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Jamaican Jerk Chicken!
August 6, 2011 by Leave a Comment
In honor of our mission trip to Kingston, Jamaica, I’m sharing this Jamaican Jerk chicken recipe. Unusual spices like allspice, cinnamon, and thyme make Jamaican Jerk delicious. To continue the Jamaican theme serve it with rice and ripe, sliced mango (even in the ghettos of Kingston there are mango trees that drop the juiciest fruit I have ever tasted).
Enjoy! [Read more…]
Don’t Know What to Do with All those Blueberries? Here’s a Great Recipe
July 29, 2011 by 1 Comment
It’s blueberry season! Last year our family went to Maine and picked some beautiful blueberries. We will never forget how yummy they were! Although I wish I could be in Maine picking those delicious berries again, the ones at our local farmers market are almost as good.
When we were living in St. Louis, Mo, my husband’s friends from law school came to visit and brought us some blueberry buckle coffee cake with the recipe they had gotten at a bed and breakfast. It’s full of basic ingredients, like real butter, milk, and blueberries. I realize that I recently wrote about curbing the sugar carvings, but I figure, if I’m going to splurge, it better be good. And this is extremely good!
[Read more…]
More on Post Workout Recovery
July 25, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Many of us are beginning our training for fall races now, when the weather is hot and humid, and it is important to replace lost fluids and minerals after a run or workout. I recently wrote a post about what people are drinking after a workout (What is Best after a Workout…Water or a Sports Drink?). Drinking something with a good carb/protein balance within 60 minutes after exercise is key, especially if the workout was intense. Physical therapist Alan Tyson sent out the following information recently that pertains to this very thing. Here is the link: Post Workout Recovery
Healthy Blueberry Pancakes
July 17, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Sunday morning can be a great time to gather together and enjoy a good meal. Here is a recipe for pancakes using some whole-wheat flour (and white flour) and fresh blueberries. Our son Peter (#4) is our expert pancake man. I love that he likes to do it, although afterwards the kitchen resembles something out of the book The Cat and the Hat…and I am left looking for Thing One and Thing Two (no where to be found).
Having the pancakes sit while the other breakfast items are cooking makes for cold cakes…not good! So have everything else (eggs, juice, milk, softened butter, and syrup) ready to go so you can enjoy them right out of the skillet. Fresh blueberries are the best, but frozen work fine too. [Read more…]
Nine Tips for Curbing the Sugar Cravings!
July 13, 2011 by 3 Comments
I am a sugar-head. While I’m not a big snacker, I’ve always had a sweet tooth, and sugar cravings can drive me crazy sometimes! I’ve done a little research and discovered that there are reasons for these cravings. In a woman’s earlier years, these cravings are more likely to manifest as premenstrual syndrome (PMS, with associated progesterone deficiency) and women often also experience severe irritability around their periods. In our mid-forties (where I happen to be), estrogen or progesterone deficiency often produces increased sugar cravings, fatigue, moodiness and insomnia around various times in the menstrual cycle. These hormonal changes can bring about cravings for the sweet stuff. [Read more…]
Healthy Meals for New Parents
July 6, 2011 by 2 Comments
I ran into a friend the other day whose son had recently been in the hospital. I asked him if I could bring a meal over, and his response surprised me a little. He said, “Thank you, but no! We have to start eating lighter now. Everyone has been so kind, but I’ve had enough carbs to last a long time!” He wasn’t being rude, he was simply saying what a lot of us know is true; that the meals most of us bring to families are laden with carbs and sugar. I am guilty. I have a staple recipe called Chicken Pasta Casserole, and that is what I normally bring to families, along with bread and salad. I also typically throw in some brownies for dessert! This conversation got me thinking about different meals that might be better choices for new moms (or anyone else who might need a meal) instead of the standard fare. In searching for an answer to this question, I found a great site called Annie’s Eats…, and she had an article in her archives about this very subject: Meals for New Parents. Summer seems just the time to send meals using fresh fruits and veggies, and to try something new!
What are some healthy non-traditional meals that you have shared with other families in need?
The Rule of 70
July 1, 2011 by 2 Comments
A lot of people ask two questions: 1. How much of weight loss comes from diet? and; 2. How much of weight loss comes from exercise? These are very good questions. While important, they ignore another component – genetics. Our DNA certainly plays a key role in the size and build of a person. In our family, I have really seen how this is manifested in our children. Even with the same parents, not all of our children are built the same. So, after considering the genetic aspect, then it comes down to diet and exercise, which are the two components we can control. While it might be easy to assume that it would be about 50/50 (diet/exercise), I think it is really more like 70/30, which is why I call this the “Rule of 70”. [Read more…]
Nine Reasons to Eat an Egg!
June 27, 2011 by 5 Comments
Eggs are one of my absolute favorite foods…at least the Cadbury variety! Truthfully, I’m not much of a real egg eater, but after reading about them recently, I am going to start incorporating them into our family’s diet more regularly. My kids actually love eggs, especially the scrambled kind in the morning. So adding more eggs shouldn’t be too hard. The following are nine reasons we should eat more eggs:
[Read more…]
What is Best After a Workout…Water or Sports Drinks?
June 25, 2011 by 3 Comments
I ran 10 miles with my friend Susan this morning on a trail near our house, and by the last two miles I was seriously dragging. When I finished the run, I felt terrible… my legs were heavy and I felt sluggish. Lucky for me, my son had left a Gatorade (Fierce Grape) in my car and I drank it shortly after I finished. It tasted great, and I was amazed at how quickly I recovered. If we are exercising outside this summer, we are bound to sweat more than usual, and when we sweat we lose more than just water from our bodies. Our sweat contains minerals, which are also lost. Should we be replacing those with an energy drink? Is it more important during the summer months to drink sports drinks, like Gatorade? I guess the best answer is that it really depends. [Read more…]
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