Get Moving

Do you exercise on a regular basis? Exercising on a regular basis strengthens muscles, improves heart and lung function, reduces your risk of major diseases, stimulates the growth of new brain cells, and even adds years to your life. Regular aerobic exercise lowers levels of stress hormones. For many people, exercise helps relieve depression as effectively as antidepressant medication.

Studies show just 30 minutes of physical activity on most days is all that's required to reap big benefits. What’s most important is consistency. Here are some of my tips to get moving!

• Find a kind of exercise you enjoy. If you like to walk, great, go for a walk everyday. If yoga is your thing, do that. If it’s something you like, you’re more likely to stick with it.
• Get a workout buddy. This gives you both some accountability. You won’t skip a run if you know you are letting down your run buddy!
• Challenge yourself. If you walk or run, sign up for a 5K, 10K, or longer race. If you disc golf, sign up for a tournament. This gives you a goal to work towards.
• Listen to fun music or podcasts while you workout. My favorite podcasts are the Rich Roll podcast, Serial, and Radiolab.
• Mix it up. If you get bored with one type of workout, do something else. For instance, I am a runner, but lately I’ve been adding hot yoga to my workout routine.

What’s your favorite type of exercise?

Banana Baked Oatmeal Recipe

Spring is finally here! Even though the days are getting warmer here in Colorado, the mornings are quite cold. I made this baked oatmeal recipe on a lazy, cold, Saturday morning recently. It was delicious! Try topping with a drizzle of maple syrup and some fresh blueberries.

Serves 4

Gather:
2 cups oats
2 cups almond milk
1 banana pureed or thinly sliced
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp of vanilla powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Coconut Oil

Preheat oven to 375.

Grease a baking pan or cast iron pan with coconut oil. The cast iron pan I used here is 9" diameter.

Mix the oats, almond milk, banana, spices and baking powder. Put into the cast iron pan.

Top with the walnuts and pecans and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Bake for 30 minutes.

How to Make a High Protein Lunch to Fuel Your Day

Sometimes, you're in the mood for a healthy lunch... but are not necessarily in the mood for a green salad. Something that fills us up faster and keeps us satiated longer. Enter the quinoa salad! Quinoa is a fast-cooking grain with a high nutritional profile. I’ve introduced most of my clients to the idea of a quinoa salad for lunch, because its very filling, nourishing and energizing.

So what is quinoa exactly? It is an extremely high energy grain and has been grown and consumed for about 8,000 years on the high plains of the Andes Mountains in South America. The Incas were able to run such long distances at such high altitudes because of this powerful grain.

Quinoa:

• Is a complete protein (contains all 8 amino acids)
• Protein content equal to milk
• High in B vitamins, iron, zinc, potassium, calcium and Vitamin E
• Gluten-free, easy to digest
• Ideal food for endurance
• Strengthens the kidneys, heart and lungs

Quinoa Edamame Salad

This salad is very quick to come together and will keep in the fridge for a few days. So make a big batch and save for leftovers. It’s inspired by a similar salad I had while visiting a friend in Seattle.

Gather:

1 cup quinoa

1/4 cup sesame seeds (I like to use the black ones)

1 cup shelled edamame, thawed or cooked if using frozen

1 bell pepper, diced

1/2 cup of arame (arame is a seaweed, you can buy it at your local health food store)

1 clove of garlic

1 half inch slice of ginger

1 tsp Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce)

1/2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar

2 TBSP Sesame Oil (or olive oil)

Make:
1. First cook the quinoa. Combine quinoa and water in a saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to a simmer and continue to cook covered for 15 minutes or until all water has been absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes covered; fluff with a fork.

2. If you are using arame, start soaking it in water to soften it.

3. While the quinoa is cooking & arame is soaking, chop your veggies.

4. Make the salad dressing by blending the garlic, ginger and liquids.

5. Strain the arame.

6. Mix everything together

Enjoy!

Hello from Colorado

A few weeks ago, my husband, 2 dogs, 3 bikes and I drove across the country from Pennsylvania to our new home in Colorado. We are happy to be settled in the Denver area and are enjoying the abundant sunshine (in between the snow storms). I will be practicing health coaching in Denver, and all over the country via phone, Skype and FaceTime. 

If you are interested in learning more about health & wellness coaching, I offer a free Health Strategy Session. You can schedule an appointment here.

Here are a few of my most recent blog posts if you’ve missed them:

How to Keep Your Sanity When You’re Moving Across the Country

My Favorite Morning Coffee

3 Days on the Road, What to Eat?

3 Days on the Road... What to Eat?

Last week my husband & I, two dogs, and three bikes set off on a 3 day drive across the country from Pennsylvania to our new home in Colorado. Now, as someone who eats a 100% plant-based diet, and gluten-free, a big concern for me on this trip was - what am I gonna eat? Because, in the middle of the country, right off the interstate, there are not any healthy options within my eating guidelines. Which means, I had to do some planning and prep work.

The problem was, I was pretty limited on time and resources to prep a bunch of uber-healthy eats for myself! I was getting packed to move across the country, getting ready to leave our current house, saying good-bye to friends and family, tying up loose ends at my job AND most of my kitchen equipment was boxed up.

I managed to make do pretty well with what little food I had left, and what I could find at the local supermarket. And, I have to say, it worked out really well! I felt like I had good options for meals and snacks AND I felt better not eating a lot of junk! Below is a list of what I brought - these ideas could work for a multi-day drive, a day trip, or even in your everyday life if you are busy.

1 :: Quick Quinoa and Lentil Salad

I had some quinoa and sprouted lentils left that had to get used up. I simply cooked the quinoa and sprouted lentils together, then made a quick dressing of mustard, olive oil and apple cider vinegar & mixed together. I then packaged into individual sized containers & kept in the cooler - and that was lunch for 3 days!

2 :: Pre-bagged Oatmeal

The oatmeal that they serve at the free motel/hotel breakfast buffets? It’s nasty. Try this... mix whole oats, cinnamon, pumpkin seeds and cacao nibs in a big bowl. Then put into baggies in individual size portions - about 1/2 to 3/4 cup. In the morning, add the oat mix to a thermos container and cover by 1” with hot water. Wait a few minutes and you’ve got oatmeal! Add a banana and you’re good to go.

Ok, so those last 2 required some prep time. But trust me, I was frantic busy and I still found 10 minutes to make both of those items, which covered breakfast and lunch every day. And I saved some money.

3 :: Hummus and Baby Carrots

You can find this at every grocery store now, buy the carrots organic. This was our favorite car food snack.

4 :: Fruit

We took oranges and bananas. The doggies enjoyed this too:)

5 :: More Snacks
We also got nut/dried fruit mixes from the grocery store, as well as some Saffron Road spiced chickpeas in the Falafel and Bombay flavors. Good “eat while driving” snacks.

6 :: Bars

I stocked up on a bunch of premade bars from Larabar, Raw Revolution and The Gluten Free Bar. I’m not a big fan of buying and eating premade bars ... these were last resorts in case I got hungry and there was no where to eat. I think I ate one of them while driving for an energy kick. I had so much other food to eat these weren’t that necessary.

This is what we did for dinner... Our first night, we went to a Chipotle, where I got a veggie burrito bowl. The next night, we found a local brewpub with a huge selection of beers that made my husband happy, and a kale superfood salad that made me happy (Barley’ Brewhaus in Overland Park, KS).

For beverages, we brought our own coffee, tea, and Aeropress (for coffee brewing) and a hot water kettle. We are particular about our coffee & tea so this was worth it. I love having hot water with lemon in the morning so I brought lemon wedges in the cooler. We also brought every water bottle we had and continually filled them at rest stops for ourselves and the dogs. I also brought a kombucha tea for each day on the road as a treat.

I hope this gives you some ideas for your next road trip! What are your favorite snackies for a road trip?

You may also like:
My trail mix recipe

My Favorite Morning Coffee

Ok, so this isn’t a blog post about if coffee is good for you or not. That’s for another day. Today we’re talking about my favorite way to indulge in a morning cup of coffee - cardamom coffee with cashew vanilla creamer. First, let’s make the cashew creamer. Make a batch of it and keep it in the fridge to use over the next 5 days. It’s also good in tea.

Cashew creamer:

1/2 cup of raw cashews (soaked, preferably, but its ok if you don’t)

A pinch of vanilla powder (or vanilla extract)

Put these ingredients into your blender. Add water and cover by about 1/2 inch (I’m guessing this is about 3/4 cups of water - but I never measure). Blend.

Then make your coffee using your preferred method. Add a generous pinch of cardamom (and cinnamon if you like) to the coffee grounds before you brew. Once your cup is ready, add the cashew creamer to taste. Yum! Enjoy on a snowy morning like I did!

Eat your way to glowing skin

So, I hope you are all finding a way to thrive even with the cold, ice and snow! I have been well, except for one nagging problem that haunts me every winter season - dry, chapped skin on my hands and face.

Recently while I was getting a haircut, I eavesdropped on the conversation next to me. The woman and her hairstylist were talking about their issues with dry winter skin, and all about the dermatologists they've seen and the skin creams they had tried. I knew where they were coming from. In the past, I have used a prescribed steroid cream to deal with my chapped hands.

These days, I take a more holistic and natural approach to dealing with winter skin issues. You don’t need to spend money on expensive medications or creams in most situations. Instead, nurture your skin from the inside out by choosing to eat foods that will nourish and calm your skin. And, in addition to having great skin, by eating whole foods you’ll have more energy, better immunity, feel better, sleep better and protect yourself from chronic disease.

Before we check out this little list of foods that are amazing for glowing skin, let’s talk about hydration. It’s super important to keep yourself properly hydrated, and it’s something a lot of us slack off on when its cold outside. During the winter your best best bets are filtered or spring water, herbal teas and coconut water. I like to sip warm lemon water throughout the day.

Ok, now onto the list!

Pumpkin
Why it gives you a glow: Loaded with vitamins A,B, and C - all essential for skin health. It’s also high in carotenoids (protective antioxidants that gives pumpkins it’s bright color), which help reverse UV damage and improve skin texture.
How to eat it: Add pumpkin puree to a smoothie or oatmeal, pumpkin soup
*Check out my Pumpkin Smoothie recipe here*

Avocado
Why it gives you a glow: High in healthy fats, supports cellular repair and keeps skin from drying out. Learn more about healthy fats here.
How to eat it: Guacamole (is there anything better?), in a green salad, avocado toast, smoothies

Cucumber
Why it gives you a glow: Rich in silica which improves skin hydration (making your skin glow) & calming to the skin
How to eat it: Salads, green juice, green smoothies

Dark Leafy Greens
Why it gives you a glow: The most nutrient dense food you can eat for a healthy body and healthy skin. And, the antioxidants found in leafy greens help prevent inflammation, which can cause eczema and acne.
How to eat it: green smoothie (see recipe below), kale salad, sauteed with garlic and coconut oil

Glowing Smoothie
1/2 head Romaine lettuce
Large handful of spinach
1/2 avocado
1/2 cucumber (peeled if not organic)
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 Granny Smith Apple
10 almonds (best if soaked overnight)
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 tablespoon hemp seeds
Optional add-ins: 1/2 frozen banana, 1 teaspoon spirulina, handful of parsley

Blend the lettuce and spinach with 2 cups of water. Add additional ingredients and blend! Expect comments on the beautiful green color of your smoothie:)