Welcome to my new blog, “Food For Thought”! I will be posting every Monday with my thoughts, ideas and links I hope you will find interesting and informative. I will also be posting a recipe or two every week.
As a certified health coach, my training is based on nutrition and how to live a healthy lifestyle. My first blog topic is: “On a diet”. I would venture a guess almost every one of us has been on a diet at least once in our lives.
Definition: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/diet
“such a selection or a limitation on the amount a person eats for reducing weight: to go on a diet.”
I have attached a link to a recent article in the Washington Post regarding diets as well
Me, I’m right up there. My very first foray into dieting happened soon after I moved to California in 1979. I went on to participate in many of the “hot diets” until the 2000s. Fortunately in between all of these crazy get thin schemes I was able to find somewhat healthy eating habits; but the lure of “the diet” and its quick fix was always lurking. I became very interested in finding the balance between good health, eating the right foods and feeling great.
So here we are in November of 2015 and I am a certified health coach. For me it’s now about balance as the goal for healthy nutrition not restriction. It’s about finding the right healthy, fresh foods that can help you to feel better and and in turn, live better. My mantra is now what foods am I adding to my healthy diet not what foods am I cutting out on my diet. Two different worlds. Eating a healthy diet shouldn’t be a struggle or seem an insurmountable task. Look around you, there are local farmers markets, the produce section of your local grocery store and even your own refrigerator for inspiration. Our bodies are always going to need certain nutrients, that’s a fact. Cutting out an entire food group may work for the short term, but the long term it might very well cause more problems than the amount of pounds you lost from restricting your food intake. Start out slow, find a few fruits and vegetables that you really like to eat. If you can’t find fresh, frozen food is a good option. Look for new recipes and ways to cook them or eat them raw in a salad. Switch out the overprocessed white rice and pasta, for brown rice or whole wheat pasta which are both whole grains. There’s an entire world of healthy, fresh food out there just waiting for you to take a chance.
I’ve attached a picture from the Harvard School of Public Health which shows a nice breakdown of a healthly plate.
www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource
To help guide you on your way to better health below are two recipes you may like. Please review the ingredients for any issues before making these items.
- 4 ice cubes
- 2-3 tbsps almond milk dairy milk can be substituted
- 2 large leaves romaine lettuce rinsed
- 1/2 stalk celery rinsed
- 1/2 apple chopped
- 1/2 pear chopped
- 1/2-1 banana sliced
- 1/4 cup any melon chopped
- 1/4 cup any fruit of your choice chopped
- 2 tbsps ground flax seed organic if possible
- 2 tsps cinnamon
- 2-4 tbps water depending on the thickness of the shake for your tastes
- 1 tbsp any nut butter optional
- You can enjoy a delicious, nutrient dense breakfast or lunch shake filled with healthy ingredients of your choice. The following recipe includes what I put in my shake. I would suggest adding the ground flax seed for your daily dose of Omega 3 and the cinnamon for flavor and to help with digestion or if you feel a cough coming on. I add a tablespoon of any nut butter for added protein and flavor! You can add 1/2- 1 cup of plain Greek yogurt for more healthy benefits and to satifsy you until your next meal. The main idea here is to use healthy, fresh ingredients YOU like! Place all ingredients in a high speed blender, crush ice, puree and Enjoy!
- 1 3 lb. sugar pumpkin fresh pumpkin
- 1 bunch radishes chopped into quarters
- 1/2 medium onion chopped well
- 2 15 oz. cans black bean any beans can be substituted
- 2 cups fresh or frozen corn
- 1 medium red pepper chopped
- 3 cloves garlic chopped fine
- 2 cups vegetable stock homemade or a salt free canned
- 1 15 oz. can cherry tomatoes diced tomatoes can be substitued
- 2 tbsp. tomato paste
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup butter vegan alternative can be used
- 1/4 cup corn meal
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- A few dashes Worcestcershire sauce optional-vegan alternative can be used or none
- a few sprinkles red pepper flakes optional
- A fresh sugar or similar type pumpkin is really necessary for this recipe. As with any fresh squash, cut the pumpkin in half, remove the seeds (which can be saved and roasted later for a fun treat!) and place open side down on a baking sheet covered in aluminum foil. Roast at 450 degrees for 15-20 minutes to soften the pumpkin peel. Let cool and peel off the outside and cut into 1 inch cubes. Add oil and butter to a large Dutch oven or six quart pot. Melt the butter, add the cornmeal and whisk all to combine. Add the pumpkin chunks, quartered radishes, onion, green pepper, garlic, and tomato paste. Saute on a low heat for ten minutes stirring occasionally. Add the vegetable broth, tomatoes, beans, corn, spices and a few shots of Worcestershire sauce. Bring all to boil and then down to simmer for an hour. Add more seasoning to taste. Simmer for another hour. Enjoy! *If you can't find fresh pumpkin, I would try butternut squash as a substitute. Roast it the same as the pumpkin but cook in the chili for an hour. The butternut squash many not hold up as well for longer periods of cooking time. *this recipe is originally from www.thekitchn.com; I have made adjustments to the original recipe.
*Disclaimer:
This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Kim Gerhardt, Certified Health Coach, does not take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.
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