Finding Out What’s ‘In Season’ in Your Area

Sustainable Table offers great information for what produce is in season in your city. Simply put in your state and click on which month you want. It even narrows it down to early in the month or later in the month. It gives you a list of what should be available, and you can then select which fruit/veggie you want, and it brings up nutritional information about it and even how to store it. And while you’re visiting, you can also find out where your local farmer’s market is.

Log On Before Dining Out

Ahhh, the weekend! ‘Tis the time to dine out! If I open my menu when we go to a restaurant, my husband often makes a “why are you bothering?” remark. That is because he knows that I already got online and downloaded the menu. My purpose? I am looking for items that are the healthiest picks. I avoid anything fried, served in heavy sauces, and the like. I look for grilled, baked, or broiled lean proteins and find out what side items are available. Most chain restaurants offer you the nutritional information on their selections. I love Outback’s website. They offer a great interactive tool that allows you to choose different items and see the “end result” of your given meal. From the main course to dressings and toppings, you can get a clear idea of just how much you are consuming. If you take the extra time beforehand, you can make dining out a healthy and guiltless experience!

 

Energy Bars

I love to make Ellie Krieger’s energy bars! They are moist and easy to freeze so you can have them on hand when you need them. And my kids love them! Just toss everything into the food processor, press into a pan, and bake.

However, when I run out or don’t have time to make them, my alternative is the Larabar (Lemon is my favorie!). They are made with fruit and nuts and spices or naural flavoring- NOTHING ELSE! At just a bit over $1 a bar and about 220 calories, it’s the perfect snack.

 

Running Recovery

Despite a 20+ mph east wind, we were able to complete 10.5 miles at just under a 10 minute pace. Not too bad for my first time! It is vital to eat and drink after a hard workout. Complex carbs and protein are a must to minimalize the fatigue on the body. My post-run recovery meal today was a Peanut Butter and Banana smoothie. A little trick that I use…peel ripe bananas, wrap individually in foil, and stick them in the freezer. Pull one out when needed. This makes the smoothie extra cold!

Protein-Packed PB and Banana Shake
1 cup almond milk (You can use regular milk- I just prefer the almond milk)
1/4 cup plain greek yogurt
1 banana
2 T peanut butter
1 T honey

Pour all ingredients into blender and mix until smooth. Makes about 2 cups.

Boiling Mad

Since I will be home most of the day today, I will be cooking up a large batch of quinoa and millet as well as chickpeas. I avoid buying beans in cans because of the BPA that these products usually contain along with the extra sodium that they have. Once they are all cooked, I divide them up and freeze them. When I need rice or beans, I just go to my freezer and grab what I need. Not only is this a more nutritional and safe route for my family, it is also waaaayyyy less expensive.

21 Healthiest Packaged Foods

We all have hectic schedules, and it’s not always possible to cook up something great in the kitchen. Here is a list of some healthy on-the-go foods for when it’s “one of those days.” Some of my favorites have made the cut- Almond milk, Applegate Farms deli meats, and Amy’s frozen meals.

Eating the Rainbow for National Nutrition Month

March is National Nutrition Month. Whole Foods has teamed up with the American Dietetic Association to promote their Eat Right campaign. This is a 28-day challenge to promote lifestyle changes in eating. You can sign up for a 30-day period and they will provide you with a nutritional analysis of your diet, eating plan, recipes, and more!

The Eat Right campaign is promoting “Eat Right With Color.” One of my favorite ways to ensure that I am eating the rainbow- that is filling my plate with a variety of various colors of produce- is to grill up some veggies. My favorites include zucchini, squash, eggplant, red peppers, red onions, and mushrooms. I simply cut them into bite-sized pieces, drizzle with a little olive oil, add some garlic, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. I toss them into my grill basket and place them along side whatever protein I am grilling at that time.  And I always make sure to make extra so I can snack on them the next day.

The Wonders of Your Sunday Morning Cup ‘O Joe

Since everyone loved reading about the health benefits of chocolate, here are the benefits of your other love- coffee!

Tosca Reno and The Eat-Clean Diet

One of my favorite clean eating websites is Tosca Reno’s The Eat-Clean Diet. Tosca is a 50+ year old woman who began to transform her life at the age of 40 by exercising and changing her eating habits. I just finished her book, Your Best Body Now, and enjoyed all the information I gleaned. Even my oldest daughter, Aleyah, fell went to bed the other night reading it! She told me she was learning some good exercises and she loved looking at the recipes. Take a look at the site and read about Tosca and see all the success stories that have been posted.

Free Gardening Kit from Annie’s Homegrown!

We love Annie’s Homegrown products! I picked up some snack mix and bunny grahams this week from Target (they were on sale!). When I got home later that day, I saw the free offer for a gardening kit with the purchase of 2 of Annie’s products. I am looking forward to digging and planting with my kids very soon!