How to Make Veggies Taste Good

Jun 2nd, 2010

On my way to the farmers’ market this morning, I asked a colleague if he was headed there too.  “No, it’s too green for me.  I’ll wait for the corn.” 

I know that’s the way a lot of people feel.  Heck, I used to feel that way myself.  When my mother asked us kids what vegetable we wanted for dinner, I always hollared out CORN.  My loud, quick, standard response annoyed my sister, now a vegetarian, because she wanted to eat different kinds of vegetables.   Not me!  She was a budding vegetarian way back then and I was a full blown carnivore.  I’ve since learned to like vegbetables.  If you don’t like vegetables, there’s hope.  But you’ll need some help. 

I’ve got two suggestions that can change the way you look at fruits and vegetables.

1. The Produce for Better Health Foundation has listed their “Top 10 Healthy Ways to Cook Fruits & Vegetables.” The list is fabulous, not the usual boring suggestions. 
2. In the Fruit & Vegetable Video Center on the same site, Michael Marks, The Produce Man, stars in 101 wonderful, short videos.  He shows you how to shop for produce, prepare it, and make it taste great – all in less than a minute per video.  He’s funny too.  He also provides recipes and other tips.  Check out these super short videos.  You can watch  a handful on your break. 

Do you like veggies?  Why?  Why not?  Any yummy veggie tips to share at the comment link below? 

Quick, Healthy Brunch

May 28th, 2010

I made a wonderful, quick, healthy meal to start my Memorial Day weekend celebration and I made a super short video to share with you.   If the space below is blank, that probably means your employer is blocking youtube.com.  If that’s the case, you can watch it on your home computer.  The “recipe” is below the video.

Egg Stir Fry

Sautee a combinations of veggies (your favorites) in a little olive oil.  Here’s what I put in my version:

Pea pods

Mushrooms

Asparagus

Garlic

Green onion

Spinach

Cilantro

Avocado

For one serving, use 1-2 eggs whisked with a little milk or nondairy milk (almond milk, soy milk, etc.)

Cucumber Salad

Peel cucumber and slice or chop cucumber into a small dish.  Add a small amount of cilantro (optional) and salad dressing.  I added fresh squeezed orange to mine and a little salt and pepper.  Very flavorful.

Curious….does this sound good to you?  What fast meal ideas can you share?

Healthy Living – Simpler is Better

May 25th, 2010

I started the spring season, March 29, with a major spring cleaning diet that was a combination of flop and success.  It was a flop because it went on too long and was too restrictive.  Remember I was avoiding caffeine, all processed foods, soda,  sugar of all kinds, alcohol, gluten, dairy, junk food, fast food…..so you see why it became difficult as the 6 weeks dragged on and on.  It was too big of a dietary leap for me to take all at once.  When I got busy or stressed, I started eating out a little more and a little more.  I prepared fewer meals at home, and then finally I quit following the program all together.  It was like I “forgot” that I was doing the program.  I bet you’ve been there, done that too.

It was a success, though, because I learned that it was quite easy to avoid many of the low-quality foods and beverages – a snap in fact.  I was able to eat much more cleanly than I thought I could.

Because there’s still one more month of spring to experiment with ”Spring Clean Your Body,” I’m doing a much simpler, shorter program. I’m on day 3 of a “preparation diet” which means I’m not eating sugar, white flour, and I’m not drinking caffeine. Now avoiding just those three things I can handle.  And I certainly can do it for one week.  After the preparation week, I’m going to follow a healthy eating, detox program described in The UltraSimple Diet book by Mark Hyman, M.D.  I’m a big fan of his philosophy, scientific methods, and programs.  He’s written many books and is a popular television personality.  For 20 years he was “Co-Medical Director at Canyon Ranch Lenox, an internationally acclaimed health resort where he combined the best of conventional and alternative medicine with a blend of science, intuition, integrity and compassion.”

After the 6-week attempt, one week feels like a cake walk.  Oops, no cake!

Would you like to join me this week and experiment with not consuming caffeine, sugar of all kinds, and white flour?  Please provide comments at the link below.

Want to See What’s in My Grocery Bags?

May 23rd, 2010

I’m starting another two week cleansing program so I went to the Community Mercantile “The Merc” to stock up on healthy foods.  Check out the video below to see what’s in my grocery bags.  See if you can guess how much it cost.  I’ll share the total at the end.

Want to join me in my healthy eating plan this week?  I’m going to focus on eliminating caffeine, sugar, and white flour. 

And hey, if you know any good ideas for how to use these groceries, please share at the comment link below.

1 Dress, 365 Days – the Uniform Project

May 22nd, 2010

Have You Had Your Laugh Today?

May 22nd, 2010

My dad was a salesman for close to 60 years.   Most of his clients were men and humor was an important part of their language.  He told a wide variety of jokes – some of them shared in private, just for men.  I used to roll my eyes.  I was such a snob.

Dad has dementia now and can remember only one joke.  So I no longer groan when he asks “Have you had your laugh today?”  I act like I’ve never heard his joke and he gets a big kick out of it.  And so do I.  Here’s the joke:  Do you know how to make holy water?  No, how?  You boil the hell out of it.  See why I used to roll my eyes.

So if you haven’t had your laugh today (and you love dogs), watch this short video.

Do you have any funny jokes to share?  See the comment link below….share your humor there.

Your Greatest Desire for Health & Happiness

May 19th, 2010

Recently, I asked my lunch buddies what their one goal or desire in life is.  Just one in five knew.  Matt said that he wanted to live in the present moment and experience it fully.  I asked if he thought he was succeeding.  After a chuckle about not doing it perfectly, he said that, yes, it was an important part of his daily spiritual practice.

Napoleon Hill in his classic book, Think and Grow Rich, boldly declares that 90 percent of the people you might ask have no idea what their greatest desire is.  I think many of us have several fuzzy desires but don’t clarify what is most important to us and keep it upper most in our minds throughout the day.   Because of this fuzziness, we don’t reap the benefits from the focused energy and guidance that a clearly stated desire generates.  Without a clear focus our daily choices become more haphazard and life can feel less rich and satisfying.

For me living a healthy, happy life . . . in this lifetime is my great desire.  A parallel desire is to help others to do the same.  So I’m asking you, as it relates to your health and happiness, what is your greatest desire?   Write this desire in your planner, post it as a note on your refrigerator, or write it on a slip of paper on the dashboard of your car.  Keep it uppermost in your mind (every day!) and you’ll begin to reap the benefits of that desire.  Your heart’s desire will come to you.

Start now.  What is your single greatest desire for health and happiness?  Share it at the comment link below and then post it where you’ll see it several times a day.

Day 43 Spring Clean Your Body and Your Home

May 10th, 2010

While you’re spring cleaning your body, you might also spring clean your home.   I think there’s a connection between how we take care of our bodies and how we take care of our homes.   Our homes are much like our bodies – they are the protective skin around us. 

What have you done lately to take care of your home (apartment, mobile home, house boat, RV, tent, TP, etc.)? 

I’ve been doing a major spring cleaning the last month so this topic is on my mind.  Let’s see if we can draw some parallels between spring cleaning our bodies and our homes.

What did I miss?  What other comparisons can you see?  Add them at the comment link below.

Day 36 All About My New Look

May 3rd, 2010

I walked Toby on the levee this evening in my garden clogs and that was not a good idea.  About a mile in to the walk, the shoes rubbed a blister on the top of my foot.  Ouch.   I didn’t have any socks or a Band-Aid so I decided to head back rather than tough it out.  Ouch ouch ouch.  It really started getting raw and sore.  In a stroke of genius, I decided to try putting my shoes on the opposite feet like 3 year olds do.  And it worked.  The shoes did not rub me in the same spot so I was able to walk more comfortably.  But, Crocs on the wrong feet is not a good look.  Although there was no one on the levee at the time, it occurred to me that someone could come along and think I was a little strange – just judging my weird shoe behavior. 

I scanned my ego to see how I’d feel about being seen with my shoes on the wrong feet.  I should say with orange shoes on the wrong feet.  I decided to just keep walking and see how it went.  If I saw somebody like Brad Pitt or Robert Downey, Jr. I’d swap them back in a heart beat.  But those guys never walk on the Kansas levee so I figured I wouldn’t be too embarrassed no matter who approached. 

Then the test.  I saw two people walking in the distance with a small dog.  As they approached we talked about the dogs and they never looked at me or my weird shoes.

In my mind I was giving myself points for walking, subtracting points for wearing shoes that hurt my feet, adding points for coming up with the switching feet solution, subtracting points for worrying about what others thought, and adding points for keeping them on the wrong feet when the other walkers approached me.  It was a fun little game.  I love dog people – they focus their entire attention on dogs.  You can get away with murder – even wearing orange Crocs on the wrong feet.

Have you got any odd or interesting stories to tell about your life that made you be creative, relax, or accept yourself?

Day 32 Get Focused, Know What You Want, and You Shall Have it

Apr 29th, 2010

Spring Clean Your Body

“We are here for a higher purpose – and when our passion and focus are unshakably on the target, we can achieve against all odds.”

2008 NFL Hall of Fame-Nominated place kicker
Nick Lowery

When you’ve had a tough day and you want a candy bar or a beer, remember your goal.  What choice will bring you closer to your goal?  When our goals are clear, this kind of choice is easier.  When our goals are fuzzy, our default is to go for comfort and immediate gratification.  Being clear about our goals makes success possible.

Get out a piece of paper and write your goal on it.  Be as specific and clear as you can be.  What do you want, why do you want it, how will you achieve it, and how will you feel when you achieve it (or when you don’t).  And then write what your most likely obstacles will be and what you will do when each of them surfaces…because they WILL surface.

Because I’m a wellness practitioner, one of my goals is to walk the talk.  I want to be the picture of health and wellness, and I want to be able to say “follow me, I’m practicing good health and wellness behaviors.”  If l say one thing and do another, what help am I to you?  Since my passion is to help people live healthy, happy lives…in this lifetime, I need to be on that path myself.  Having a clear goal, taking action, and staying focused on the benefits is my 3-step plan for success.  I’m not always 100% successful, but this goal keeps me moving forward.

What is your plan for success?  What keeps you on the path?  Share your thoughts at the comment link below.