Thursday's Trend Alert Dirt Report #15

"For each new morning with its light,

For rest and shelter of the night,

For health and food, for love and friends,

For everything Thy goodness sends."

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wednesday What Not #15

Traveling for work definitely has its perks; exploring new cities, meeting new people and experiencing "local" favorites.  Along with those amazing positives comes 1 major negative though:  not being able to prepare my own meals!

Having had my fair share of Panera Bread's Soups and Chipotle's Burrito Bowls, I am in desperate need of expanding my travel palate.  Unfortunately in doing so I have found myself back at square 1, staring at menu boards to find the "healthiest" options provided.  

That confusion at the counter will soon be replaced with pleasing purchases, however because of a great new website that I have been introduced to.  That website is Menustat.org, which allows health conscious viewers to see menu information for over 35,000 restaurants and compare their nutritional values by item and/or category.  Viewers can even track nutritional changes over time!

Using the comparative feature on the site will definitely make next week's "Working lunch" more fresh and fun!

Tasty Tuesday Treat #15

After publishing my Superfood Post, I was inspired to find new and exciting recipes that showcased some of the nutrient rich staples that I wrote about.  From quinoa stuffed peppers to Spirulina salad dressings, I found myself feeling like a kid in a candy store!  My euphoric state was quickly replaced however, when I remembered that I would be cooking these dishes for my "double bacon cheeseburger loving" husband ;).  

Since my husband would rather dine on a succulent steak than a satisfying superfood, I needed to tread lightly around my nutrient rich meal choice.  Having been a fan of Hungry Girl for years and taking note of her ability to disguise "good food" as "bad," I figured I would check out her take on Kale**.  Sure enough, a revamped recipe that swapped a full fat creamed spinach dish for a lighter "creamed" Kale side had been published.  

With only a few simple ingredient and an easy preparation schedule, I whipped up the Kale recipe as a companion to my pumpkin seed crusted baked tilapia.  Let's just say my husband wasn't missing his McDonald's take out that night!  

**Kale is a very popular super food as a serving has more vitamin C than an orange, more calcium than milk and 133% of a person's vitamin A requirement.

Mindful Monday Inspiration #15

In her welcome letter for the November / December issue of Natural Health, Editor in chief, Peg Moline, questioned her readers about what makes them happy.  She felt that the question was very fitting for the upcoming holiday season and found it even more appropriate that her answer to the question was:  "Feeling grateful makes me happy."

Although a fantastic response, the correlation between gratitude and glee is not a new revelation.  In his intensive, 8 year study, Dr. Robert Emmons of the University of California (Davis) found that "people who were in the gratitude condition felt fully 25% happier, more optimistic and confident.  They even exercised an additional 1.5 hours a week!" 

With a day of thanks quickly approaching, why not encourage each family member to report one thing that they are grateful for.   Challenge each person to find hidden opportunities or silver linings in each situation! 

Fitness Friday Fact #15

After the last crumb of pumpkin pie has been eaten, all thoughts turn from stuffing to sales!  

The day after Thanksgiving, commonly referred to as Black Friday, is a day where shoppers rejoice in deal hunting and gift purchasing.  Most of the time the adventures begin in the wee hours of the morning and last late into the evening.  Such a timeline leaves little room for "working off" that additional helping of mashed potatoes that was enjoyed the night before!

Since not partaking in the shopping extravaganza is out of the question, why not burn while you bargain by following this exercise routine published via the University of South Dakota.

Thursday's Trend Alert Dirt Report #14

Praised for their potent, super concentrated, nutrient rich capacities, Superfoods have been on the radar of most nutritionists for years and most recently have become THE "hot topic" for news reports.

No, they are not able to combat threats against humanity by supervillains, but Superfoods certainly possess extraordinary / superhuman powers!  Their strengths include lowering cholesterol, strengthening bones, combating heart disease, stabilizing blood sugar, reducing obesity and lessening the risk of cancer!  

Having studied the benefits of superfoods while completing my coursework at IIN, I began to introduce the fabulous fare into my diet.  I was shocked at how easy it was to incorporate superfoods without disrupting my diet.  One of my first (and favorite) attempts was with Chia seeds.  I have added this superfood to my smoothies, my baked breads and my oatmeal.

If you are interested in "defeating disease and running the risk of cancer out of town", check out these super foods and their compatible recipes! 

Wednesday What Not #14

The holiday season is synonymous for heightened stress levels!  

Between organizing travel plans, purchasing perfect gifts and baking tasty treats, there is hardly ever time for relaxation.  What some people don't know though is that there are ways to limit anxiety and still complete everything on the holiday to-do list!

That thing that I am referring to is crafting.  According to Dr. Robert Reiner of NYU, "the act of performing a craft is incompatible with worry, anger, obsession and anxiety.  Crafts make you concentrate and focus on the here and now and distract you from everyday pressures and problems." *

Whether the craft is knitting, painting, coloring or collaging, the relaxation response is automatically induced because an action is repeated!

By plopping yourself down at your craft table over the next few weeks and putting together one of these DIY Christmas Gifts, you might just find that you feel less stressed and have less gifts to shop for!