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Pomegranate Kale Salad

by Sydney Wills

Pomegranate Kale Salad

Servings: 6 to 8

Ingredients:

  • 1 bunch of kale, stemmed and leaves julienned
  • 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
  • 1 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
  • Garnish with Parmesan cheese

Dressing:

  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Place washed and stemmed kale in a large bowl.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, honey, salt, and pepper.
  3. Pour dressing over kale and toss to coat. Sprinkle the pomegranate seeds, walnuts, and cheese over the salad.

Recipe adapted from Williams-Sonoma.com

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5 Ways to Stay on Track and make it a Healthy Halloween

by Kelly Nordby, RD, LDN

Fall has arrived! Thank goodness!! It’s the time of cool air, football, pumpkins and a steady train of holidays that involve food. Halloween is one of the first stops on the train and is one that often derails our healthy habits. Consider these 5 ways to stay healthy this Halloween.

5 Ways to Have a Healthy and Happy Halloween:

  1. Leave it on the porch. Instead of sitting and passing out candy, leave the candy bucket on the porch and walk with your kids or grandkids while they trick-or-treat. You would be amazed at how many steps you can get walking around your neighborhood. And if the kids empty the bowl because no one is watching, it will just be less for you to eat later.
  2. Procrastinate. How many times have you bought your candy at the beginning of October only to find that you have to replenish it several times before trick-or-treating even happens? Avoid the temptation by waiting to buy your candy until just before October 31st so that the only ones that eat it are the little ghosts and goblins.
  3. Buy the ‘better’. Relatively speaking, there are ‘better’ options when it comes to Halloween candy. If you do happen to sneak a treat, lessen the load on your calorie budget by purchasing these lower-sugar/lower-calorie options.
  4. Buy the Dum Dums. I could have Dum Dums in my house all year long and never be tempted. I cannot say the same thing for snickers bars. What do I do? Buy the non-tempting candy to give to the trick-or-treaters and then maybe ‘borrow’ a snickers from my kids’ treat bag.
  5. Does a ‘treat’ always mean ‘candy’? There are non-candy Halloween treats that might be a nice break from the sweets for the little ones. Here are some ideas.

You might also enjoy:

Healthy Halloween: Non-Candy Treat Ideas

Happy and Healthy Halloween Recipe Ideas

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What We Can Learn From the Longest Living People in the World

by Melissa Rockett

There are several places in the world where living to be over 100, with a healthy body and mind is the norm. Deemed, the Blue Zones, these rare longevity hotspots around the world are located specifically in Okinawa (Japan), Sardinia (Italy), Nicoya (Costa Rica), Icaria (Greece), and Loma Linda, CA (US).

National geographic journalist, Dan Buettner, and a team of medical researchers, anthropologists, demographers, and epidemiologists took to studying exactly what could be contributing to these longer life spans by looking at the lifestyles and environments within these hotspots. Several key themes emerged, and nine common denominators were derived from the studies that are believed to contribute to the longer life spans experienced.

1. Move Naturally

Movement is a regular part of the everyday culture and life in the blue zones. No matter their age, Buettner noted that all residents were seen moving throughout their communities and/or performing physical labor daily. Movement wasn’t seen as a daily chore or task to check-off, it was embedded within the lifestyle of residents in these communities. As we’ve slowly engineered physical activity out of our culture here in the US, becoming a much more sedentary society, it’s up to us to make sure we are moving more throughout the day. If you live a primarily sedentary lifestyle (i.e., sitting in front of a computer all day, driving for extended periods of time), it’s recommended for every 20-30 minutes sitting to get up and move around. So, BRB, I’m getting up to move now.

2. Purpose

You’ve likely heard by now of studies finding that optimists are more likely to live longer than those who practice little positive thinking. When someone is living a life on purpose and feel they are making positive contributions to the world and/or their life is meaningful to them, they are more likely to feel in control of life circumstances, bounce back quicker from adversities and overcome stressors, leading to greater regulation of emotions and behavior. Knowing your sense of purpose is said to add up to seven years to your life.

3. Downshift

Blue Zone communities make time every day for stress management. Whether its eating nourishing foods or getting a full night’s rest, managing stress is key to living a happier, healthier and more productive life.

4. 80% rule

Put down that fork when you are 80% full to avoid overeating. Blue zone residents are known to monitor their portion sizes and time their meals out to have their largest meal in late afternoon/early evening, as opposed to right before bed, which has been associated with weight gain.

5. Plant Slant

Focus your meals around plant-based foods and reduce meat consumption. Blue zone communities eat meat an average of only five times per month or on special occasions. In China’s longevity village, residents pick their own produce and eat it the same day. A good practice to slowly integrate more plant-based meals is trying Meatless Mondays. For easy recipes, visit MedInsteadofMeds.com.

6. Wine @ 5

Alcohol is consumed in moderation, and in many blue zone hot spots, residents can be seen regularly having one to two glasses of wine a day with friends or with food. Light drinking, generally wine, has been linked with a longer lifespan.

7. Belong

Find your people. Having a sense of community, whether it be a faith-based community, meaningful relationships at work, and social relationship, are associated with more positive and healthy habits. Find somewhere where you feel a sense of belonging, trust, and purpose. There are many studies that demonstrate that having friends and loving relationships resulting in lower rates of hypertension, obesity, diabetes and possibly even cancer.

8. Loved ones first

Blue zone families tend to live closer geographically and are generally more emotionally connected and supportive of one another. It’s common for younger generations to take care of their elders, which leads to a healthy aging infrastructure that increases health and promotes a sense of belonging on multiple levels. In the blue zones, residents generally have a committed life partner and prioritize investing time and love into their children and family.

9. Right Tribe

Blue zone residents are socially connected and regularly participate and connect within their community. Being born into and staying socially connected within communities supportive of positive health behaviors is more likely to shape and retain positive lifestyle behaviors for many generations.

While these may seem like simple lifestyle changes, it can be difficult to sustain these positive habits over time. We’re compounded daily with stressors, lack of time, unexpected events that add up and can disconnect you from living in the flow of life where these lifestyle behaviors come much more intuitively. Be graceful with yourself and start small, maybe take a walk at lunch instead of staying in front of your computer, call a friend on your ride home instead of mindlessly listening to a Podcast or playlist, take time to journal and find what makes life so meaningful to you and go after it.

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Age Isn’t Anything But a Number

by Kendrick Kemp

You may see people your age, or maybe even older, who are in good shape and ask yourself, “How do they do it?” First and foremost, we all have different body types and metabolisms, so there is no one magic pill that works for everyone, but getting in shape is possible for most. It just takes effort and a willingness to achieve a goal.

As a man in my 50s who works on staying fit, let me tell you what works best for me:

  • Cut down on the sweets.
  • Eat baked, not fried.
  • Eat more fruits and vegetables.
  • Set a goal.
  • Get others involved.
  • Get up and just do it!

If joining a gym works better for you, then do it. If exercising at home is more convenient, do that. The easier your new lifestyle, the more likely you will be to stick to it. For some, that may mean joining a yoga class; for others, it may mean buying a yoga mat for your bedroom. Whatever works best for you, find it and commit to it.

In addition to physical activity, you must eat healthier. When deciding what to eat, remember that baked, lean meats and fresh fruits and vegetables are better; fiber is your friend and water is better than soda. You will see quicker results when you make the right decisions.

Whatever you decide to do, consult with your physician first. Be sure that your body is ready for the increased activity. There is nothing wrong with starting slow and gradually increasing your routine. When it comes to getting healthy, slow and steady could win the race; and maybe the next time you are looking at someone who you think looks fit for their age, they may be looking at you and are thinking the same.

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How to Start Swimming: Tips for Beginners

by Casey Collins

One of the evidence-based strategies for diabetes prevention is achieving 150 minutes of moderate activity each week. I have recently decided to re-engage with an aerobic activity from my youth, swimming. Swimming is a great low-impact workout and I find it extremely meditative. I love the feeling of being immersed in cool water and the repetition of swimming laps. For me, swimming is the only form of physical activity that can melt away the stresses of the day.

Over the past several years, I haven’t had regular access to a pool and have significantly lost my lap swimming speed and endurance. I want to share how to get a swimming routine started (or in my case, reestablished) and hopefully inspire a few of you to swim some laps!

beginner swim

Swimming Benefits:

  • Full body workout
  • Increases your heart rate without stressing your body
  • Tones muscle
  • Builds strength
  • De-stresses and relaxes
  • Helps maintain a healthy weight, healthy heart and lungs
  • Appropriate exercise for people with injuries, arthritis, and other conditions

How to Get Started:

You will need to locate a pool near you. Many gyms and community centers offer lap swimming times. It is a good idea to check out a few facilities in your area to determine which one works for your budget and lifestyle. Swimming takes a little coordination. If you are totally new to swimming it may be beneficial to look into swimming lessons. You will learn the different strokes and breathing techniques to help you get the most from your workout.

Gear:

Just like any other physical activity, you will need to have the appropriate gear to participate. Initially, I recommend keeping the gear very simple. Start with goggles, a swimsuit, and maybe a swim cap.

Optional Gear:

  • Swim Cap (optional…depends on your hair length. I prefer the silicone caps over latex versions because they are better quality and pull your hair less)
  • Kickboard and a pull-buoy (most facilities will have these on hand)
  • Waterproof watch (helpful for timing interval workouts)
  • Lock for your locker (A good idea for public pools to secure your belongings)

Ease into a regular routine:

Consistency is the key to learning anything. Start with 10 swim sessions of easy, steady swimming over a three-week period. After those first three weeks, you should feel your body begin to adapt to the activity. In each of these sessions, swim for as long as you can, resting as much as you need. Aim for at least 20 minutes sessions. Don’t get discouraged if you get winded quickly, your body is adapting to a new activity.

Once you have a handle on the basics, try swimming laps for 20 to 40 minutes at a pace that keeps your heart rate elevated. ***Remember to drink plenty of water and take breaks (just because you are submerged in water doesn’t mean you can’t get dehydrated).

Be aware of lane etiquette:

Familiarize yourself with the facility’s rules for sharing lap lanes. When three or more swimmers are sharing a lane, typically facilities will ask you to do “circle-swimming”. When you are circle-swimming, you go up on one side of the lane and return on the other (similar to driving a car). I don’t mind sharing a lane, but I prefer having a lane to myself. I will ask the staff what times are the lap lanes the least busy and schedule my workouts around those times.

Example of a Beginner Swim Workout: 750 yards

  • 100 yards (4 lengths): Warm up.
  • 50 yards (2 lengths): Flutter kick on side. Lie on one side with lower arm extended, ear resting on arm, upper arm along body; hold on to a board with top hand if necessary. Kick from hips (not knees), looking up and keeping knees and side or back of head in water.
  • 50 yards: Flutter kick with kickboard (keep head in water and breathe to both sides).
  • 5 x 50 yards: Swim at a moderate to hard intensity for 5 laps, taking a breath every 3 strokes. Take 50 to 60 seconds to swim each lap, resting at the wall if you have extra time.
  • 2 x 50 yards: Swim easy for 2 laps, taking 1 to 1:15 minutes to swim each lap.
  • 100 yards: Swim at a moderate intensity.
  • 100 yards: Cool down at an easy swimming workout pace.

Other Helpful Resources:

If you have any swimming advice, share below in the comments!

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How to Use a Chef’s Knife

by Carolyn Dunn, PhD, RD, LDN
how to use a chef's knife

In this how-to video, Dr. Carolyn Dunn shows how to properly use a chef’s knife. Following these simple rules will keep you safe in the kitchen so you can feel confident practicing your own knife skills. The chef’s knife is the workhorse of the kitchen, as it can accomplish many tasks such as chopping, slicing, and dicing food. Learning to use this knife may eliminate the need for other kitchen gadgets that can take up space in the kitchen.

Important safety rules to remember:

  • Don’t try to catch the knife if it falls off the counter. Simply step back as quickly as you can and let the knife fall to the floor before picking it up.
  • Use a sturdy cutting board. It’s important to work off of an even surface when using a chef’s knife. Try using a cutting board with a nonslip grip on the back.
  • When setting the knife down, always face the blade inward. When you pick the knife back up again, it will be in the right position.

See the video below for a step-by-step guide on how to start using a chef’s knife.

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Healthy and Easy Meal Prep Recipe: Greek Bowls

by Madi Johnson

An easy dinner to throw together on a busy weeknight? AND one that serves as a great lunch the next day? These Greek Bowls are just that. They can be made in advance to meal prep for that week’s lunches but they can also be put together quickly for a last-minute dinner (and if there are leftovers – lunch the next day too!). This recipe is flexible, feel free to add or remove anything based on what you have on hand or how much time you have. For example, when I make it for a last minute dinner, I usually don’t have chicken on hand and make chickpeas the main focus (plus, it makes the dish even faster). But if I plan ahead, I make shredded chicken in the Instant Pot instead of buying rotisserie chicken. The possibilities are endless!

Meal Prep Greek Bowls

Adapted from CookingLight

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken (about 3 cups)
  • Precooked whole grain (quick-cook farro is a favorite for this but quinoa, brown rice, and whole wheat couscous work well too).
  • 1 can chickpeas
  • 2 cups chopped cucumber AND 1 Tablespoon finely diced cucumber
  • 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more for topping
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 2 teaspoons drilled dill (or more depending on taste)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  • Combine Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon diced cucumber, lemon juice, garlic, dill, and salt in small bowl. Set aside.
  • Heat farro or whole grain of choice according to package directions. Place 1/4 cup farro in each of four bowls (or lunch containers if meal prepping). Top each serving with about 3/4 cup of chicken, 1/2 cup cucumber, 1/2 cup tomatoes, 1/3 cup chickpeas, and 2 1/2 tablespoons Greek yogurt mixture. Top with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, black pepper, and more dill if desired.

Below are a few of the different ways I’ve enjoyed these Greek bowls:

Geek bowl with grilled chicken with lemon pepper
Greek bowl meal prepped for a grab and go lunch.
Added a dollop of fresh pesto and tossed the chickpeas in dill and lemon juice

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The Best Wellness Hack that No One Ever Told Me

by Melissa Rockett

The greatest tool I have found in my health and wellness journey has nothing to do with counting my steps each day or drinking green smoothies. My most helpful tool has been to simply take pauses during my daily routines. Instead of constantly searching for advice on what I “should” be doing to feel my best, I try to pause, reflect, and actually listen to what my body needs. A pause helps with shutting off that voice that’s saying, “you called that a workout? Go get on that treadmill”. In a time of information overload, it can be overwhelming trying to keep up with the latest and greatest of the health and wellness world. So many of us spend our lives on the go, living by our to-do lists, we miss out on these moments of reflection and listening to what our bodies need. We rarely find them until we have already reached our limits.

For me, a day will come every once in a while, where I’ll have my alarm set and clothes ready for a morning workout, only to wake up and decide, nope, no, not going to do that today. Then the next day will come and that constant drive to do everything simply shuts off. It’s in these moments, that I basically have three options:

  1. Follow the pressure to keep performing and the “no days off” mentality
  2. Give up altogether
  3. Listen to my body and decide what I truly need in that moment

It’s in those moments that I realize I’ve known what I’ve needed all along. I’m not saying this is for everyone, or that if your body is really telling you to eat a dozen donuts every day you should listen (this is especially important to understand if you are new to your health journey). However, if you find yourself overdoing it sometimes, or dreading your daily routine, it doesn’t have to be that way.

Those moments may feel like a failure, but I’ve learned to stop trying to fit every healthy lifestyle tip or hack into my life. I have stopped letting exercise and my next meal prep for the week add pressure to my long list of to-do’s, and instead think about how I actually want to move my body and be kind to myself when I opt for ice cream instead of saying no to dessert. Normally, this abrupt shift in always striving to be my best self would have me up in arms and planning my every minute to make up for it the next day- but instead, I’m learning to be okay with letting myself choose how I move, or don’t move, in what feels best for me in that moment.

I’ve been greeting the day with a pause, a few breaths and a smile knowing I can get up and move and have a strong body that I get to take care of. Gratitude has become my gym membership and I’ve been feeling better than ever before. Sometimes I take myself to yoga, that I would usually consider my “after workout” treat, I wake up and make some coffee for a morning walk versus trying to fit in 5 miles before work and sometimes my spontaneity leads me to workout classes that would normally be way out of my comfort zone- anyone ever been to an exercise class where they hand you drum sticks when you walk in the door that are for banging in the air and on the floor and walls (yes, it’s a thing).

By listening and slowing down, I found my greatest tools within. My workout and diet became no longer a checkbox, but a lifestyle that rewards and nourishes myself every day. Fitness doesn’t have to be dragging yourself to the gym every morning. Mix it up, make it fun and don’t rule out the mundane- parking in the back and taking a few extra steps, or choosing to walk to the grocery store versus getting in the car- is still many steps closer to a healthier you.

And for those wondering, no, I did not gain 30 pounds or start ordering takeout every night, what I found was space, self-care and happiness knowing that even if tomorrow I’m only able to get in short five minute walks in between work and my to-do’s, I’ll be happy that I was able to move my body and give it the attention that it deserves.

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How to Eat Healthy on a Budget

by Sydney Wills

This fall, I returned to graduate school and to say that my life has changed would be an understatement. Aside from papers, projects, and exams, something else that has changed has been my grocery budget. I’m pursuing a degree in nutrition, so eating healthy, fresh food is not only a priority for me, it’s my passion. Sometimes I can get carried away with unnecessary food purchases (looking at you dark chocolate covered almonds) and spend well over my allotted grocery budget for the week. In order to stay on track, I try to follow these tips during my weekly grocery store run:

  1. Shop your pantry first. This may sound like a redundant step, but this has been one of the greatest hacks for my budget. Not only will this save money by using items that you have on hand, but it also reduces food waste. Having a mental inventory of your pantry will make planning meals less overwhelming since this week’s meals are tailored to what you already have in the pantry.
  2. Look for deals or coupons before making a grocery list. Are chicken thighs on sale this week? Then think about preparing a dish using chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts. When it comes to fresh produce, save more money by shopping for items that are in season.
  3. Plan meals for the week. Write out a meal (or three!) for each day of the week. Try googling the ingredients that you have on hand for recipes if you need some inspiration. I like to find inspiration on The Kitchn for weekly meal plans or try a new Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes recipe like this Stuffed Sweet Potatoes recipe. Set realistic goals with how many new recipes you may want to try this week. Remember, not all of your meals need to be Instagram-worthy. It’s fine to plan simple meals if you know a particular day will be busier than the rest of the week. Once you have all of the ingredients for each recipe, compile a grocery list.
  4. Skip brand names and shop generic. Once I realized that many of the brand name items I was buying had a generic counterpart that tasted very similar, I started shopping for only generic items. Now, there are very few items that I buy brand name. There are some grocery stores such as Aldi and Trader Joe’s that only sell their own brand and you may save even more by shopping there.
  5. Stock up on a few convenient freezer items. There will be nights where it feels much easier to get take-out. This is where items such as a bag of frozen brown rice and vegetables makes for an easy meal after a long day without spending extra money on take-out. One of my go-to busy weeknight meals that I pull straight from the freezer is this Build Your Own Burrito Bowl recipe.

All in all, these have been some of the most helpful tips to keep my budget on track while still eating healthy. So far, I have not had to compromise my healthy eating goals because of my budget. While this method does take time and a little bit of creativity, it will be worth it to have a week’s worth of healthy meals AND have an answer to the question “What are we having for dinner?”.

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Easy Side: Lemon Artichoke Quinoa Salad

by Casey Collins

I stumbled across this great recipe for Lemony Artichoke & Quinoa Salad from budgetbytes. It is a refrigerator salad (i.e. doesn’t get limp or soggy) that works great as a side dish or as a light entrée. When I made this recipe I add some crumbled feta cheese (see picture), which I thought was a nice addition to the other flavors in this salad.

Lemon Artichoke Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

  • 1 cup quinoa 
  • 1 fresh lemon 
  • 1/4 cup olive oil 
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced 
  • 1 tsp salt 
  • freshly cracked pepper 
  • 1 13oz. can quartered artichoke hearts (in water or oil, with or without herbs)
  • 1 red bell pepper 
  • 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 15oz. can chickpeas

Cooking Instructions

  1. Rinse the quinoa well in a fine wire mesh sieve. Place the rinsed quinoa in a pot with 1.75 cups water. Place a lid on the pot, turn the heat on to high, and allow the water to come to a boil. Once it reaches a full boil, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for 15 minutes (lid on).
  2. While the quinoa is cooking, prepare the lemon garlic dressing. Zest the lemon, then squeeze the juice (you’ll need 1/4 to 1/3 cup juice). Add the lemon juice and 1 tsp of the zest to a bowl or jar along with the olive oil, minced garlic, salt, and some freshly cracked pepper (10-15 cranks of a pepper mill). Whisk the ingredients together or close the jar and shake until they are combined. Set the dressing aside.
  3. After the quinoa has cooked, spread it out into a casserole dish or other wide shallow dish and refrigerate uncovered for about 15 minutes to cool it down.
  4. While the quinoa is cooling, prepare the rest of the salad ingredients. Drain the artichoke hearts and roughly chop them into smaller pieces. Finely dice the red bell pepper. Roughly chop the parsley. Rinse and drain the chickpeas. Place the artichoke hearts, bell pepper, parsley, and chickpeas in a large bowl.
  5. Once the quinoa has cooled, add it to the bowl with the other salad ingredients. Toss gently to combine, then drizzle the lemon garlic dressing over top. Gently toss again until everything is coated in dressing. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 4-5 days.

Two other great recipes I have tried recently from BudgetBytes:

Creamy White Bean & Spinach Quesadillas

Easy Cauliflower & Chickpea Masala

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