Tag Archives: health

Music Can Wake Up Your Life and Restore Youth

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Several years ago I wrote a blog titled "Consequences of a Music-Less Life". It was about what happened to my life when I stopped listening to music and spent all of my mental energy on getting through college. Since that time I've read articles and listened to podcasts from people all around the world who are discussing the healing power of music. This week I came across a video titled "Alive Inside", it's about the transformation elderly, seemingly comatose hospital patients made simply as a result of listening to their favorite songs on an iPod. Check it out, it's pretty inspiring.

Two Ways to Stop The Struggle with Weight and Eating

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Amazingly enough, I have found that many people create their own weight problem by engaging in two "diet behaviors": 1. Not Eating Enough 2. Not Drinking Enough Water Because of diet mentality, which says "less is more", many people are constantly trying to cut back on their food intake thinking it will accelerate their weight loss. This is dead wrong. The truth is, your body is counting on you to provide it with the energy it needs for the day. If you fail to do that, your body has no choice but to hang on to all food and fat so it can have a storage bank to draw from if the food supply is too low or is extinguished altogether. This is your body's reaction to starvation. Your body needs energy every day in order for your heart to beat, your legs and arms to move and your brain to function. If you don't provide for these needs with daily, healthy food intake your body begins to slow down, hold on to all food and feed off the fat storage when necessary. If the starvation continues, your body eventually feeds off your organs as a means for survival. Starving yourself or eating less than your body needs to function properly is a way to sabotage your weight loss and health. Another important weight loss strategy (and strategy #3 of the Donate Your Weight program) is to drink at least 6, eight-ounce glasses of water a day. When your body is continually flushed with water, there is no need for water retention. Water also flushes toxins out of your body. Since fat is often stored by your body as a way to protect you from toxins, drinking water is a wise weight reduction strategy.

“Cream” of Broccoli Soup

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Creamless “Cream” of Broccoli Soup This hearty, delicious soup is perfect for cold winter evenings! 12-oz fresh or frozen broccoli, chopped 1 large russet potato, cut into ½ in. cubes (or 4-5 small red potatoes), skin on 1 medium onion, chopped olive oil (approx. 6 Tbl.) 2 ½ c. low-sodium organic chicken or vegetable broth 6 medium garlic cloves, minced 5-oz (one single serving container) nonfat greek-style yogurt (I prefer the brand “***e” from Trader Joe’s) 2 Tbl. Dijon mustard freshly ground black pepper (to taste) In a large saucepan or dutch oven, heat 4-6 Tbl. olive oil over medium heat. Add broccoli and onion, cook until tender. Add garlic and 1 c. broth, cook for 2-3 min. Stir in potato cubes and cover with remaining broth (1 ½ c.), and cook until potatoes are tender. Remove from heat and blend with an immersion blender until smooth (or divide in sections and put in a standard blender, then return to pan). Stir in yogurt, mustard, and add black pepper to taste. Serves 6. Nutrition info per 1 cup serving: 178 calories, 14g fat (2g saturated, 0g trans, 1.5g monounsaturated, 10g polyunsaturated), 5.2g protein, 12g carbs (2.3g sugar, 6.7g fiber), 0mg cholesterol, 128mg sodium.
From Donate Your Weight

Wheat Berry Salad – Wild Oats Recipe

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This is one of my favorites. I originally saw it at Wild Oats grocery store and as soon as I made it once, I decided I had to have it again. I searched and searched for the recipe but I couldn't find it. I went to the store and looked on the recipe wall, not there. I went on the Wild Oats website, couldn't find it. I went to the store manager and the deli, they couldn't help. LUCKILY I found it and now I will never lose it again. It's got everything: sweet, crunchy, tangy, lots of fiber, low fat and easy to save for leftovers. I will admit it's not EASY to make but if you plan ahead it's not hard either. I make a batch and it lasts for several days. Great as a snack or even a meal or side dish. I wrote a few of my own notes into the recipe to make it easier. Full name: Wheat Berry Salad with Walnuts, Dried Cranberries, Feta and Rosemary Vinaigrette Total time: 1 hour and 15 minutes. Serves 4 1 cup organic hard red winter wheat berries (*tip: to reduce cooking time, soak wheat berries in water overnight) 1 ½ cup chicken broth, vegetable stock or water 1/8 cup dried cranberries, chopped 1/8 cup dried apricots, chopped 1/3 cup whole organic walnuts (toasted) 6 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil 3 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar 1 tsp. Dijon mustard 1 clove garlic, chopped 1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped ½ tsp. freshly ground pepper 1 tsp. sea salt 1 bunch organic green onions, finely diced 4 butter lettuce “cups” 2 oz. crumbled feta cheese Rinse wheat berries and place in a saucepan. Add broth or water. Cover and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and cook for about an hour* or until the wheat berries are soft. Remove from heat and stir in cranberries and apricots. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes. Chill in refrigerator until ready to use. Place walnuts in a skillet. Toast over a medium heat…be careful not to let the walnuts burn. Remove from pan, allow to cool and chop. Set aside. Place olive oil, vinegar, mustard, garlic and rosemary in a blender. Pulse to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place cooked wheat berries in a bowl. Mix in walnuts, onions and just enough dressing to hold everything together. Place in butter lettuce cups and garnish with crumbled feta cheese.
From Donate Your Weight

Avocado Corn Relish

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(serve as an appetizer, or a great topping to grilled chicken or fish) 8-oz frozen sweet yellow corn 3 medium avocados, diced 1 diced red bell pepper ½ c. diced red or white onion red wine or balsamic vinegar (or sometimes both!) olive oil salt and pepper to taste (optional) Combine avocados, pepper, corn and onion. In a separate bowl, combine a few teaspoons of the olive oil with about twice as much vinegar, and add salt & pepper if you like. Stir into the vegetable mixture, only adding enough to wet, not to saturate. (Note: if you leave the whole avocado pits in the mixture as well, the avocados won’t go brown as fast.) Serves 4. From the healthy kitchen of Emily Duval. Courtesy of Emily Duval at http://emilytrains.wordpress.com/
From Donate Your Weight

Pasta-free Eggplant Lasagna

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2 large eggplants, cut into ¼ in. slices and steamed until tender but not too soft (about 5 min) 16-oz. pkge pre-cooked spicy Italian chicken or veggie sausage (try Trader Joe’s/Wild Oats), cut into ¼ in. pieces 16-oz. frozen spinach, thawed (be sure to squeeze all the water out) 1 ½ jars organic pasta sauce (I prefer Trader Joe’s roasted red pepper marinara) 6 cloves garlic, minced 7 ½-oz. fresh ricotta 2 Tbl. grated/shredded parmesan cheese Preheat the oven to 375°. Line a 9x12” baking dish with half the eggplant slices (cool them slightly after steaming so they can be handled), overlapping them to avoid gaps. Evenly layer half the sausage slices, then all of the spinach, then all the garlic. Add the ricotta, spreading thinly over the previous layers. Pour half the sauce over the layers, spreading evenly with a knife. Add the rest of the eggplant slices, sausage, and sauce (in that order). Sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top and bake for approx 30 minutes, or until bubbly. Allow 5 minutes to cool a few minutes before serving. Serves 8. Note: Feel free to replace the marinara sauce in this recipe with another organic, preservative-free sauce, or your own homemade sauce, and try a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for an added kick. You can also replace the spinach with your favorite veggies. Nutrition info per serving: 245cal, 10.4g fat (3.3g sat, 0g trans), 49mg cholesterol, 868mg sodium, 19g carbs (8g fiber, 7g sugar), 18.3g protein. From the healthy kitchens of Gina Hicks and Emily Duval. Courtesy of Emily DuVal at http://emilytrains.wordpress.com/
From Donate Your Weight

Spinach, Crunchy Chickpea, And Hazelnut Ragout

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This tasty dish is inspired by a tradition Spanish dish of spinach with raisins and pine nuts, and the baked chickpeas add a meaty crunch and lots of protein. 15-oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained ¼ c. whole hazelnuts 2 Tbl. raisins 1 Tbl. extra-virgin olive oil 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 bunch spinach, rinsed and stemmed 3 plum tomatoes, cut into ½ in. cubes (optional) 2 Tbl. capers, with a bit of the brine A squeeze or two of fresh lemon juice Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste couscous or steamed brown rice (½ c. per person) Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the chickpeas in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until crunchy, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Meanwhile, spread the hazelnuts on a second rimmed baking sheet and roast for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden in the center (you’ll have to cut into one to see). While the nuts are still hot, pour them into a clean dishtowel, form a sack, then rub the nuts in the towel to remove the skins. Don’t worry about removing every last bit of skin. Open the towel and transfer the nuts only to a cutting board, coarsely chop them, and set aside. Step 2: In a small bowl, pour ½ c. boiling water over the raisins. Let stand for at least 10 minutes, or until plump. Set aside. Step 3: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook for one minute; do not let it brown. Increase the heat to medium-high and stir in the spinach, tomatoes, and capers with their brine, and raisins with about 1 Tbl. of their soaking liquid. Cook, stirring frequently, until the spinach is completely wilted, about 3 minutes. Stir in the roasted chickpeas and hazelnuts and heat through. Season to taste with the lemon juice, salt and pepper. Serve immediately over the couscous or rice. Serves 2-3. From Entertaining for a Veggie Planet by Didi Emmons Courtesy of Emily DuVal at http://emilytrains.wordpress.com/
From Donate Your Weight

Curried Sweet Potatoes

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Sweet potatoes are a MEGA-food, and with dried apricots, raisins and curry powder, this unusual recipe is irresistible! 4 ½ pounds sweet potatoes (8 or 9 medium), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste 1 cup dried apricots (3 ounces), cut into 1/4-inch slivers ½ cup raisins 1 cup boiling water 1 Tbl canola oil 1 onion, finely chopped 2 tsp curry powder Freshly ground pepper to taste Place sweet potatoes in a large pot and add enough cold water to cover by 1 inch. Add 1 tsp salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook, uncovered, until tender but not mushy, 8 to 12 minutes. Drain well. Meanwhile, combine apricots, raisins and boiling water in a small bowl; let sit until plumped, about 10 minutes. Heat oil in a large wide pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add curry powder and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the cooked sweet potatoes, apricots, raisins and the fruit-soaking liquid. Season with salt and pepper. Stir gently over medium-low heat until warmed through. Nutrition info per serving: 287 calories; 2 g fat (0 g sat, 1 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 65 g carbohydrate; 4 g protein; 8 g fiber; 262 mg sodium. Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A (840% daily value), Vitamin C (80% dv), Potassium (34% dv), Fiber (31% dv). TIP: The sweet potatoes will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days if you want to make them ahead. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave. Courtesy of Emily DuVal at http://emilytrains.wordpress.com/
From Donate Your Weight