What's in Today's Smoothie?

Good morning folks!

It had been a while since I’ve highlighted my favorite breakfast – the green smoothie – so I thought I’d let you know some of what I’ve been tossing in the blender as of late…

Today’s Recipe:

• 1/2 cup Blueberries
• 1 Peach
• 1/2 Banana
• 1 1/2 cups baby Spinach
• 2 Tbsp. Chia seeds
• 8 oz. plain low-fat Kefir

Combine fruit with chia seeds and Kefir. Blend until smooth. Then add spinach and any additional liquid as needed. Blend, pour, enjoy!

For anyone new coming into this, feel free to check out my first post on the benefits of green smoothies and the many reasons why I enjoy them as often as possible! 

So what’s so special about this smoothie? Quite a bit, it turns out. Let’s break down the ingredients and explore what makes this drink such a superhero among a world of bad-for-you beverages.

Food for Thought

Whilst perusing through some nutrition photo files that I’ve saved over the years, I came across one in particular that always strikes a chord:

photo source

After reading this again, my thoughts are brought back to a past blog post on the topic of clean eating. There is and will always be one simple truth about good health – you just cannot get healthy without eating healthy. You can sweat it out at the gym for hours each day, but if you follow that with a trip through your local drive-through, your hard work will be for naught. Food is the biggest ticket in establishing good health. If you fuel your body with garbage, your body will show it. If you eat healthy and fresh foods, your body and skin will glow with wholesome health that gives you boundless energy, a clearer mind and a greater overall feeling of happiness!

Are you considering more about trying to clean up your diet? It can seem a bit overwhelming at first, especially if you have a lot of changes to make. The best advice I know is to take small steps. Make little changes every day and don’t beat yourself up if you make mistakes. No one is perfect and we all make mistakes. The key is understanding that it’s what you do the majority of the time that counts the most.

I don’t know about you, but even something as simple as some text typed over an apple has given me some renewed motivation to do better by me. I suppose the old adage is right – an apple a day… J

What's on Your RDs Plate?

Happy Friday and the 1st day of June, Good Lifers!

The week before Memorial Day weekend, some great friends of mine brought a new, precious little boy into the world! He looks like an angel and according to the new Mom and Pops, he’s been acting like one too – so far anyway. J



Liam Noble - isn't he the cutest?!



What does this have to do with food and nutrition?

Well, I signed up to help the new parents by bringing over some tasty eats. Having a newborn around can certainly throw a kink into what used to be your “normal routine”! There’s an awesome website resource available called Meal Baby – it’s an online FREE meal registry that creates a calendar for friends and family to sign up to bring meals to a family in need – read more about it here: About Meal Baby.

Since my friends are not picky eaters and frequently enjoy vegetarian, I signed up to bring a roasted vegetable enchilada casserole – something fresh, but also easy to freeze and save for later in case their fridge was already packed. As a small addition, I threw together some no-bake energy bites to serve as something quick and easy to grab up during some late-night or early-morning baby feedings.

Both recipes are chock-full of nutrients to nourish the recovering and breastfeeding Mama – and super tasty to boot! So naturally, I made enough for my own little family of 2 to have some for our own! J

Check out the recipes after the jump...

Lifestyle Makeover: REVAMP that MOTIVATION!

Sound familiar? Was this you?

It’s been nearly six months since we started a new year with the best of intentions to get back in shape and clean up our plates. Six months… do they feel more like six years?? Perhaps back in January you did have some success in jump-starting your health goals, but your enthusiasm has waned. This is TOTALLY NORMAL. Without the motivation to keep going, it’s not likely for anyone to keep on track. Don’t let me be misunderstood – motivation is not someone yelling at you to run yourself into the ground. It's about identifying some very good reasons to do something, and to light that up inside you.

What motivates you? What doesn’t? Today I’d like to offer you a few ways that help me keep motivated and be successful in accomplishing my goals...

April Showers bring May Flowers, more Farmers’ Markets, and a crowd of Holidays to boot!

photo source

Well for some reason, the last few weeks of April felt more like the normal temperatures for March, unlike the March temperature which soared into the 80's and even the 90's on more than one occasion! Nevertheless, our flowers are blooming and thankfully we’ve gotten some very much needed rain over the last few weeks.

Back in March, I listed for you all of the Farmers’ Markets that opened up in April. A few were left off that list, so I’m including them all for you now. Just in time for the First of May! Check out this link here for all of Richmond’s Farmers Markets.  There’s bound to be fresh, local produce near you!

What about some other exciting events in May?

How about Cinco de Mayo!

photo source

Translated as the Fifth of May, this holiday is a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride and to commemorate the cause of freedom and democracy during the first years of the American Civil War. Contrary to widespread popular belief, Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico's Independence Day—the most important national patriotic holiday in Mexico—which is actually celebrated on September 16.

In any case, I’m a huge fan of Mexican cuisine so in celebration of this Saturday, here are a few tasty (and healthier) versions of some classic Cinco de Mayo recipes...

Spring into the Season!

photo source

I could never say that I prefer one season more than the others, with each having their own special qualities; but Spring is definitely one of the most exciting to me. It’s exciting because, along with the warmer temperatures and longer days, the earth starts to come alive again. Trees and flowers blossom, gardens are reborn… there are signs of transformation everywhere and promises of abundance to come.

It’s something about Spring that brings people back to life as well. Everyone becomes cheerier, perhaps from a little extra “spring in their step” (pun intended)! J Moreover, maybe it’s more than a coincidence that with the Spring season also comes Easter and Passover – two holidays that highlight messages of hope and renewal.



http://gosoutheast.about.com/od/tripplanningmaps/ss/springtrips_8.htm



So with these rejuvenating thoughts in mind, I’d like to present to you with some healthy, Spring-inspired recipes (some with some traditional holiday flair). Check them out after the jump, then post a comment and let me know what you think! J

Farmers’ Market Openings

photo source

It is officially the first day of Spring! Also known as the Vernal Equinox, this is the time of year in which the daylight hours become increasingly longer than the dark. Hooray for more after-work sunshine! 



photo source



The arrival of Spring means different things to different people. To me, it means balmy daytime temperatures and cooler nights, with beautiful blooming foliage giving home to cute chirping birds; it’s that time of year to dust off my fishing rod and get outside more often in general. But perhaps one of my most favorite reasons for loving Spring is… (drumroll)… the reopening of local Farmers’ Markets! Hooray for fresh, local produce!

As we've discussed before, there are many great reasons to shop from a Farmers' Market: (1) Buying foods locally helps support local farmers and local economy; (2) They can inspire you to try new foods, as you'll likely see various varieties of produce that you may not find in the conventional supermarket; (3) Purchasing your foods locally increases awareness of where your food comes from (freshly picked from a nearby farm!); and, (4) Buying from farmers eliminates the cost of the middleman and pricey shipping, so you get more value for your dollar! Hooray for extra savings in my pocket!



photo source



So after three great reasons for some extra "Hooray" in our lives, I have listed some of the Farmers’ Markets, CSA’s and local farms open for business now or starting in April, 2012

Follow the link below to see the complete list.



Better than Sugar?

photo source

Good sunny day everyone!

For today’s post, I’d like to shed some light on several “natural” sweeteners that have been brought up frequently during class discussions. I'm so glad I looked into this as the answers I found were quite surprising!

Let’s jump right in...

A GLC Philosophy

photo source

So perhaps you’ve attended some of our classes, perhaps you’ve had a private consultation with me – Chloe, RD – or, perhaps you have only checked in here once in a while to read my blog (Thank you! I appreciate it J). If simply the latter of the three is true, you might find yourself wondering a little about what all we stand for at the Good Life Center. Today, I’d like to take a little time to explain a part of what we advocate, an eating philosophy that supports our efforts in helping you achieve a healthy lifestyle. I’m talking about CLEAN EATING.

  



Front-of-the-Box Misconceptions Revealed



This term has become a bit of a “buzz-word” lately among wellness communities and with good reason! Today, our supermarkets are riddled with products that (to be honest) are not even real food! They are products of science, not nature, and they are injected with dyes and other chemicals not meant for the human body. If you can’t pronounce the words in the ingredient list, do you think your body really knows how to digest it? So this brings us to the concept of clean eating. Clean eating is all about choosing foods that are natural and wholesome – particularly foods that are free of chemicals, additives and preservatives, and devoid of refined, processed ingredients.

This eating style has some distinct benefits which include: advancing your chances of maintaining a healthy weight; gaining better control of blood sugar; and, improving blood pressure and cholesterol levels. There are some additional perks that come along too, like increased energy, clearer skin, improved sleep and enhanced clarity of mind. I’m intrigued – how about you?

It’s National Nutrition Month® !

Welcome to March everyone!

There’s a traditional expression that says, “March comes in like a Lion and out like a Lamb." The reverse seems to be happening here in Virginia. If you remember on Thursday March 1^st, it was 80 degrees and now we have snow?!? Ah, that’s the classic pattern of Virginia weather for ya… classic pattern as in, there is no pattern! (Although, I am very grateful that we did not experience the tornado trauma that occurred in the Midwest - my heart goes out to anyone with family or friends who have lost their homes!)  




In less than a week, we went from this...



...to THIS! I prefer the sandals :(

 

Weather aside, the month of March is known as National Nutrition Month®! 

This year, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics named the theme: “Get Your Plate in Shape!” The key message revolves around the importance of balancing your plate. Too often, we load up our plates with refined carbohydrates and high-fat proteins, pushing the nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables to the side. Boost your nutrition and reduce calories by filling at least half of your plate with a variety of vegetables – especially dark, green, leafy ones like kale, chard, and spinach + red and orange vegetables like carrots, tomatoes, squash and peppers! Fill the 2^nd two-thirds of your plate with a lean protein like skinless chicken breast, seafood, beans or lentils + a wholesome, filling grain like brown rice, quinoa, bulgar, barley or wheat-berries. This will ensure adequate intake of inflammation-fighting phytonutrients from healthy food sources, along with increased fiber for satiety and portion-control.Treat yourself afterwards with a ripe and sweetly refreshing fruit for dessert, perhaps drizzled with your favorite yogurt.






Does your plate look more like plate A or plate B?

Plate B demonstates the principles of what it means to "Get your plate in shape!"

 Be sure to check out these other Nutrition Education Resources for information on boosting your daily intake of fruits and vegetables, healthy eating on the run, the 2012 NNM® Fact Sheet, plus 2011-2012 NNM® recipes and more!     

Also, don't forget to RSVP for tomorrow's GLC Grocery Tour at Whole Foods! This month, there will be emphasis on where to find a good value as well as making healthy selections. Weight check-ins are from 5-5:45PM at the Glen Allen office, the tour begins at 6PM sharp in the covered entryway of Whole Foods in Short Pump. See you there!

Happy and Healthy Eating,

Chloe RD and the GLC

p.s. Interested in other weather-related sayings of yore? The Farmers’ Almanac also mentioned these three rhymes and expressions pertaining to the month of March:

            A dry March and a wet May, fill barns and bays with corn and hay.

As it rains in March so it rains in June.

March winds and April showers bring forth bundles of May flowers.