Tag: health and wellness

Perspective

On By Cultivate WellnessIn Health and wellness1 Comment

We got back recently from a much-needed spring break trip to somewhere much, much warmer than Minnesota. Traveling is always such a good reminder that it’s important to step away from regular life in order to get some perspective on things. Without fail, anytime I leave my home (whether it’s for a quick trip up north to a cabin, or a longer trip to a different country), I am able to see things in a different way. That thing that bothers me so much at home? Space and distance helps me realize it’s not a big deal. Meeting new people from different walks of life? A really good reminder that the bubble I live in is just that: a bubble. It’s important to re-learn this lesson, over and over.

So, I didn’t cook on vacation, and I truly enjoyed being provided with all my meals each day. However, I also realize how hard it is to eat 80/20 (80% health-affirming, 20% whatever TF I want) when I don’t have control over what’s being served. Luckily, the place we stayed had tons of fruits and veggies, really fresh fish and salads, made to order smoothies, etc. On the converse, it also had unlimited open bar and really good churros. I would say I veered more towards the 50/50 or maybe even 40/60, which was totally enjoyable but wholly unsustainable in the long run. I always welcome coming back home to my routine. Here’s a couple of photos of one of my breakfast and lunches, and you can see my plate is filled with really good stuff. On the left is one of my breakfasts and on the right is one of my lunches. I really miss my daily breakfast churro. Not pictured are the very yummy cocktails, the slab of steak and potatoes, the emergency hot dog I had to eat when my blood sugar dropped too low and nothing else was available (at home I would have had a banana, some peanut butter, Triscuits or something similar) and the six or seven mini desserts we would sample from the buffet. And it’s all good.

Plain yogurt with granola, oatmeal with chia seeds and almonds, veggie scrambled eggs, smoked salmon with caviar, and my beloved breakfast churro.
Salmon ceviche, salmon and cucumber salad, marinated hearts of palm and asparagus, a big green salad, some hominy and a bit of seaweed salad.

I came home to an obscene amount of snow mold everywhere, of which I’m super allergic, so this week has been rough so far. My throat is scratchy, my eyes are itchy, my nose is runny, and my energy is nonexistent. My meal plan for the week seems like it might be out the window, which is fine. My husband picked up convenience food from the grocery on the way home last night (veggie sushi and Brussels sprouts for me). I will take each day as it comes. In the meantime, here are a few of my favorite recipes from previous posts that you might enjoy. One pot pasta is a perennial favorite and so easy. Customizable in so many ways, you can make it your own. And now that it’s warm in a lot of places, it’s time to bring back the caprese pasta salad we love so much. This one is Dr. Jill Biden’s recipe. If you’re looking for something that isn’t pasta, try this BBQ chicken, Spanish style.

Have a tasty week!

The Cooking Continues! This Week/Last Week

On By Cultivate WellnessIn CookingLeave a comment

I hope this finds you enjoying some spring-like weather wherever you are. Here in Minnesota the snow is verrrrrry slowly melting, but the sun has decided to come back out and the promise of spring is there.

Last week’s dinner plan went well, and I continue to lean into pivoting with ingredients and sometimes entire menus when needed. One example is the Kathleen Ashmore salad from Monday. I opened the container of arugula to find that it had gone completely bad before I had a chance to use it. The only other thing I had on hand was half of a green cabbage, so I went with it. Not at all the same taste or texture, but it worked. Yesterday I had a persistent allergy headache from all the snow mold (the stuff that grows under the snow on the grass that is uncovered when the snow melts) so I let myself off the hook and instead of making this penne from Sunday’s plan, I threw together penne with jarred Rao’s tomato sauce and instead of the original plan of warm spinach salad, my daughter made a delicious spinach salad with cucumbers, pine nuts, shaved parmesan and this homemade balsamic vinaigrette. Perfect.

This week I’m doing something a little different. I bought ingredients for four different meals, and I am going to let my mood dictate what I make on each day Monday-Thursday. What can I say, I’m feeling sassy (I told you spring was in the air). The recipes for this week are: Kathleen Ashmore Quinoa Glow Salad, this yummy looking Mediterranean vegetable soup, these easy Chicken Sheet Pan Nachos (a request from my daughter), and Simple Veggie Curry. We have salad greens and leftover balsamic vinaigrette, plus some garlic naan in the freezer, so we can have some easy sides to accompany the appropriate dishes.

Here are a couple less-than-ideal photos of what I made last week.

Cabbage salad with white beans and roasted tomatoes
Lentil Stew topped with avocado and cilantro

Have a tasty week!

This Week’s Menu/Last Week’s Success

On By Cultivate WellnessIn Cooking1 Comment

It’s a sunny “warm” day in Minneapolis and I can just feel my energy levels rising. But fair warning: once it’s golf and “outside” season, my cooking tends to fall off a cliff. When it’s gorgeous here, we make full use of the beautiful weather, which means less time spent around a stove. I’m going to try hard to plan ahead for more slow cooker and Instant Pot meals, plus hearty salads that can withstand the refrigerator for a few days so that we will usually have something healthy to eat. It just might look a little more loosely organized than usual.

So, how did last week’s meal plans go (click here to read last week’s blog and access the recipes)? Great! I mostly adhered to the plan. Monday’s scallops were a bit of a bummer because I accidentally bought the tiny bay scallops instead of the nice big buttery ones. But that family still enjoyed them. Tuesday was a cluster because I was late for everything, and forgot that I would be doing something from 4-5:30. I came home in a bad mood (daylight savings time sucks, and I hate it) and was *thisclose* to bailing on the Sicilian chickpea soup, but my daughter sat and kept me company while I cooked and I’m so glad I did it. The soup was delicious, and cooking usually puts me in a better mood. We did in fact go out Wednesday (happy retirement Mark!) and on Thursday we had more delicious food from Eat for Equity. Friday I made the crock pot corned beef meal, which was so delicious that I ate it for three days straight. Saturday night instead of more Eat for Equity, we ordered in sushi from Ama (so good! We love it there!) and last night I decided to bail on making the casserole because we had Italian Wedding Soup and radicchio salad from E4E that we had planned on eating Saturday. I love it when things work out relatively well. I also realize that committing to something and following through when possible feels great. I did a terrible job of taking photos of my meals, but I did remember to snap one of the Sicilian chickpea soup!

Sicilian Chickpea Soup

This week is wonky due to a lot of different activities, so I’m going to try to roll with it even if we aren’t all eating together.

MONDAY – This Kathleen Ashmore salad with garlic naan. My daughter has a dentist appointment at dinner time and then I’m going to play paddle, so this salad will be available for whomever.

TUESDAY – This crock pot Mediterranean lentil stew served over brown rice.

WEDNESDAY – My husband is out at a basketball game and I don’t know that my daughter will be home either, so I’m designating it a “fend night”. There will be leftovers available so will probably dig into those.

THURSDAY – Eat for Equity!

FRIDAY – Order in or eat out

SATURDAY – Eat for Equity

SUNDAY – Penne with roasted tomatoes served with a warm spinach salad (from the America’s Test Kitchen Complete Mediterranean Cookbook). Try this similar penne recipe one, which looks delicious. And this similar spinach salad recipe.

And I think that’s it! I hope you have a delicious week!

What We Ate Last Week & What’s On The Menu This Week

On By Cultivate WellnessIn Cooking, Health and wellness, mediterannean, Nutrition, Recipes1 Comment

Remember how a few weeks ago I said that most of the time my meal plans go awry for some reason or another? This last week was the perfect example. Monday and Tuesday went great, when I made farotto and a salad (risotto made with farro) and Tuscan bean soup with bruschetta, respectively. Wednesday things went off the rails when I found out the rest of my family had things going on and would not be joining me for dinner. So, I kept the scallops in the freezer and ordered myself Crisp & Green for takeout. I love C&G salads, but I’m a little irritated that probably 50% of the time something is wrong with my order. Still, they are really yummy and healthy so I keep getting them. Thursday, we had Eat for Equity as planned, and Friday my husband got us reservations at Martina, one of my favorite places to eat and have a cocktail. We had scallops, pasta, and Brussels sprout salad, with a delicious banana caramel crepe for dessert. Our plans Saturday were foiled because our paddle party was cancelled due to weather, so we punted and had more Eat for Equity. We tried watching Jurassic World Dominion but it was just meh so we switched to our daughter’s high school’s championship hockey game, which was super fun to watch, and they won state! Sunday I heated up the lasagne from Eat for Equity and we had that and a salad while watching the Oscars. My daughter put together this fun snack tray below. Yes, there’s candy and cookies there! And microwave popcorn. These are all ok (we practice moderation). I lost the Oscar’s ballot competition by a mile.

Oscar’s Snack Tray
Bruschetta with fresh tomatoes and garlic
Farrotto, made with farro, asparagus, peas and parmesan
Romaine with strawberries and goat cheese with a vinaigrette
Tuscan white bean soup with kale

Moving on to this week’s plan!

MONDAY: The scallop recipe from last week’s post, along with some leftover roasted vegetables from Eat For Equity.

TUESDAY: Sicilian chickpea and escarole soup with whole grain bread dipped in olive oil.

WEDNESDAY: We have a retirement party to attend, so we will be out (on a school night!)

THURSDAY: Eat for Equity

FRIDAY: Corned beef, cabbage, potatoes and carrots in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. I’ve been told this is not an actual traditional St. Patrick’s meal, but I love corned beef and cabbage and eat it once a year, at most, on this day.

SATURDAY: Eat for Equity

SUNDAY: French onion soup casserole. My daughter and I are big fans of French onion soup, and this just looks cozy and delicious and I love the addition of white beans. Sadly, winter is far from over here, so this recipe just spoke to me, and it came highly recommended.

I hope you have a delicious and restful week! I will need some extra zzz’s thanks to Daylight Savings Time.

The Goal: Better Sleep

On By Cultivate WellnessIn Cooking2 Comments

Daylight Savings Time started today, which means the vast majority of people in the US “sprung forward” one hour in the middle of the night. It feels like one hour shouldn’t make a huge difference, but the fact is, heart attacks, strokes, and car accidents all increase in the days after DST.

Aside from DST and its effects, I’ve been thinking a lot about sleep in general lately. As a 48 year old woman in perimenopause, I’ve noticed sleep changes in the last couple of years that affect how rested I feel the next day. And I’m not alone – so many of my female friends tell me they are up at all hours of the night, suffering from night sweats, insomnia, and general feelings of exhaustion. I’m so tired some days it’s hard to function (which, admittedly, could also have something to do with the incessant snow and cloudy days we’ve been enduring this winter). While I’m hoping this will all work itself out over the course of this hormonal shift I’m going through, I feel like there are some things that I am doing recently that have been helpful. And there are some things I’m going to try this spring that I’m hoping will also help. I’m not a doctor or a medical professional, so if you want to try any of the supplements or modalities I’m discussing below, please make sure you consult with one before you start.

MAGNESIUM: I’ve been taking magnesium at night for years. I generally take 250 mg a night of Magnesium Citrate. Known as the “relaxing supplement”, I have noticed it really does make a huge difference. On nights when I forget to take it, my sleep is much worse. That being said, actual evidence is thin. Read this for more info.

EYE MASK: I started using this eye mask recently, which blocks out all light from my eyes. We live in a more urban setting which includes city lights making the sky brighter, street lights, security floodlights on neighbors’ houses, planes flying overhead, ambulances speeding down our street, etc. Plus both of our digital clocks are bright. Using this mask has helped me to sleep so much more deeply. It has an adjustable nose piece that lets you pinch it shut to your liking. At just about $10, it’s affordable and effective.

MELATONIN BODY LOTION: I tried out this lotion on my lower back/SI joints before bed, and holy cow. It made me sleep HARD. It also gave me incredibly vivid and imaginative dreams. I’m not sure the effects the day after are desirable, as I do feel like even though I slept great the night before, I felt some “hangover” effects from the melatonin. I’m one of those people who is sensitive to melatonin though. If you aren’t, this could be really useful for you.

BORING PODCASTS: I started listening to the podcast called Boring Books at Bedtime last month and it works like magic. A woman with a really soothing voice literally just reads super boring books. The benefit of this is that it allows my brain to shut off and I usually fall asleep within a few minutes. Otherwise, my brain goes into overdrive and sometimes won’t shut off. I also do meditation apps, which are super helpful. I like Calm and Headspace.

WHITE NOISE: I have tinnitus (that annoying ringing in your ears all. the. time.) To cover up that noise, we keep a fan or humidifier going all the time at night.

KEEPING MY ROOM COOL: I have started cracking the window at night, even in the dead of winter. When I don’t, I wake up sweaty. When I do, I sleep much more peacefully.

WEIGHTED BLANKET: I love mine, and when I travel and don’t have one, I can tell the difference. Mine is old and out of stock, but there are tons of options out there.

There are some things I do that are huge no-no’s in terms of sleep hygiene, such as looking at my phone up until the minute I put it down to go to sleep, having a TV in the room, and drinking caffeine in the afternoon. We cannot be perfect, and up until recently I didn’t feel like those habits were detrimental to my sleep. I’m willing to revisit those if my sleep quality tanks.

What I am willing to do right now:

BLUE FILTER GLASSES: These were recommended by the New York Times and are under $10. Easy.

ABSTAIN FROM ALCOHOL MOST DAYS: I have started recently reserving Fridays and Saturdays (and occasionally Sunday) for my favorite cocktail or glass of wine, and staying “dry” the other nights. I am committing to doing this through the spring to see if it helps my sleep. I know it’s healthy in a lot of other ways, too!

What do you use to help you sleep at night? Drop a comment below! For those dealing with a time change, I hope this next week isn’t too painful!

LIFE HACK: An App For People Who Have Trouble Staying Focused

On By Cultivate WellnessIn health, Health and wellness, life hack, wellness1 Comment

forest

I have a problem. I try to do multiple things all at the same time which leaves me feeling agitated and depleted. Why sit and peacefully watch t.v. when I could also scroll through my emails on my laptop (is what my brain constantly tries to tell me)? What’s the problem with reading emails while watching t.v., or scrolling through your Instagram feed while walking the dog, or trying to reply to a text while also have a conversation? Well for one thing, when we multitask, nothing is ever done really well. It also leaves our brains feeling fried and for many of us we wind up feeling on-edge and irritable. I have also started to notice a link between how much time I spend mindlessly online and the amount of energy I have to do other tasks. Being online literally drains me.

According to this Time Magazine article, trying to multi-task, especially with electronic devices, can hamper our attentiveness, mindfulness, and ability to learn. In fact, higher amounts of technology use has been linked to mental health problems in adolescents. It’s no wonder, with kids constantly seeing images of “perfection” on their peers’ social media feeds. I have found that the more time I spend on social media (as a 43 year old), the more agitated and anxious I get as well. This article does a good job of explaining why that is. One positive of technology use in adolescents is that more frequent texting appears to help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. perhaps because they are reaching out to real friends and connecting rather than perceiving that everyone else has perfect “Insta worthy” lives.  Read the article to find out more.

So, what am I doing about this problem? I found out about an app called Forest, and have been using it for a few days. So far it has really made a difference. You can plant virtual trees and set a time for how long you want to focus on a task without looking at your phone. When the time is up, your tree has grown. By planting trees and growing trees, you earn virtual currency to use towards buying and planing a REAL TREE through Trees For The Future. The app costs $1.99 for iPhone and it’s free for Android.

This might be the sort of thing where I use it for a relatively short amount of time to rewire my brain and seal in a new habit. I’m perfectly ok with spending $2.00 for that life hack!

P.S. I wrote this entire blog post without checking email, reading my texts, or inexplicably ending up shopping on Bananrepublic.com. WIN!

You might also like:

Life Hack: The Daily Dozen App

Summer Intentions

Midweek Mashup

On By Cultivate WellnessIn Cooking, health, Health and wellness, holiday, Nutrition, Recipes2 Comments

MIDWEEK MASHUP

It’s the most wonderful time of the…

You know how the rest of it goes. Is it truly the best time of the year? For many of us, yes! The beautiful lights, the nostalgic music, the opportunities to spend time with people we love. For many others, not so much. So much stress, so many additional responsibilities, poor eating habits, a few too many extra cocktails, and obligations, obligations, obligations.

Wherever you land on the spectrum of Holiday cheer, one thing is for sure: we all need ways to help manage it all. I like to ramp up my Green Smoothies this time of year. I feel like no matter what else happens on any given day, I’ve at least had lots of veggies and fiber. Sort of like a little insurance policy.

Some years I’m simply too overwhelmed to consider adding intentional exercise to the mix. This year I’m feeling like I really want to get to the gym a couple of times a week in addition to walking my dog and playing platform tennis. I have been using Aaptiv on my iPhone and love it. It’s full of personal trainer-led workouts that can be customized to your level of fitness. Choose from treadmill, outdoor running or walking, yoga, indoor cycling, strength training and even 5k, 10k, half and full marathon programs. All workouts are set to really great music you actually want to listen to.  It’s not cheap. At $75/year it’s a commitment. But I’ve more than gotten my money’s worth since I got the app this summer. (I was not compensated for recommending this app. I just really like it!)

And finally, here is an easy recipe for zesty three bean salad. I made it for a party in October and loved it. It’s the perfect healthy dish to make on a Sunday to eat all week for lunch.

You might also like:

New Recipe: Easy Peanut Butter Balls (and an update on the elimination diet).

NEW RECIPE! Kale Chips

Headspace

Midweek Mashup

On By Cultivate WellnessIn Cooking, diet, disease, eating, family, health, Health and wellness, Nutrition, Recipes, wellness1 Comment

MIDWEEK MASHUP

Happy Wednesday. It’s a short week! For that let’s celebrate. Surely all the kids are back in school and this week is probably hectic for many. Here’s some good information and a quick recipe to get you through to Friday.

I’ve always believed that if more people got in the kitchen and cooked meals for themselves and their families, they would be healthier overall. An acquaintance once lamented that she felt like there were so many nutrition rules that it felt impossible to feed herself and her daughter “the right way”, so she gives up and resorts to takeout. I say that the nutrition and wellness community has failed her if that’s what she (and likely so many others) feel. The truth is, a jar of decent quality pasta sauce and a box of whole wheat noodles with a bagged salad on the side is vastly healthier than a drive-thru burger and fries. So, if that’s where you are starting, that’s ok. Trust me, you will progressively become more confident in your cooking and before you know it you will have a repertoire of healthy and delicious meals that don’t feel overwhelming to make on a weeknight. I loved Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl’s take on this in her article “The Cure Is in the Kitchen” in  Experience Life’s recent issue. Take a look.

Speaking of making things easier in the kitchen, one approach that I’ve always practiced is to make extra for the freezer or fridge. When making soup, I often double the recipe and fill up Ziploc gallon bags with the excess. Lay them flat in the freezer for easy stacking. On busy nights just pull out a bag and reheat. Sides like roasted veggies are delicious warmed up or cold from the fridge all week long. In fact, I just bought another rimmed roasting sheet on Monday so I can easily make even more.  After this hectic week of back-to-school and houseguest coming on Friday,  I will also start using my weekends or Mondays to make a big batch of quinoa or other healthy salad that I can eat throughout the week for lunch. 

And finally, here’s a simple and delicious looking recipe for your next Meatless Monday or whenever you want to load up on veggies. These Vegan Thai Curry Vegetables look fantastic for a cool fall day, and the gentle spice should be well tolerated by all in your house. I would serve them over brown rice and fruit on the side and call it a day. In fact, it’s what’s for dinner tonight.

That’s it for this week. I hope you enjoyed reading. As always, please pass it along, post it to your pages, and subscribe if you did! And I would love to hear what you think in the comments.

You might also like:

Midweek Mashup

Hearty Lentil Soup

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Oat Muffins

New Recipe: Easy Peanut Butter Balls (and an update on the elimination diet).

On By Cultivate WellnessIn baking, Cooking, diet, disease, eating, family, health, Health and wellness, Kids, Nutrition, Recipes6 Comments


Today is day 10 of my daughter’s modified elimination diet. Tomorrow is the first day that we start adding foods back in. She gets to eat 5-6 servings of one of the food groups that we’ve been avoiding, followed by two days of “watch and wait”. She has chosen nightshades  because she really misses tomatoes, peppers and potatoes.

I’ll be honest: neither one of us has seen or noticed any changes since starting the elimination protocol. Maybe when we introduce things back into her diet she’ll notice something. Hopefully there won’t be a big reaction which would indicate a sensitivity and a need to avoid.

The last 10 days have been trying for her. I get it. When you’re told you can’t have something it only makes you want it more, right? But she is still being a trooper and I commend her for it. There has been no whining, no tantrums, no pushback. She’s stoic (like her dad) and while she really has disliked this experience intensely, she’s persevered.

We just took a three day girls’ trip and I packed much of our food. Eating out was a challenge but we found some places willing to work with us. Two of the restaurants specialized in vegan and gluten-free which usually means that they are more open to special requests. And both happened to be featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, so that was cool. Shout outs go to At Sara’s Table Chester Creek Cafe and Duluth Grill!

Now on to the new recipe I promised. These Easy Peanut Butter Balls are full of protein, healthy fats, and healthy whole grains. They really couldn’t be easier to make and they are guaranteed to please just about anyone. Make a double batch and keep them in your fridge for an easy grab-and-go breakfast for busy mornings and after school snacks.

EASY PEANUT BUTTER BALLS

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup natural peanut butter (I really like the no-stir Whole Foods creamy)

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup vanilla protein powder (I couldn’t get by without Orgain, which happens to be vegan)

1/2 cup honey (use local if you have seasonal allergies, as it’s thought to help with symptoms)

Optional: chocolate chips

METHOD:

Stir all the ingredients together, then form into balls the size of a golf ball. If they are too sticky, add a bit more protein powder or oats. Likewise, if they are too dry, add a bit of honey or peanut butter. Keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

Will you try these? Do you have a variation you like?  Tell me in the comments!

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NEW RECIPE! Spelt Pancakes: better than you’d imagine!

New Recipe! Pan Fried Tofu

 

NEW RECIPE! Spelt Pancakes: better than you’d imagine!

On By Cultivate WellnessIn Cooking2 Comments

If you’ve read my blog recently, you know my daughter is currently doing a modified elimination diet. Even though not one person has made a disparaging comment, I feel a little defensive about this decision. I don’t take drastic dietary changes lightly, even as a holistic nutrition student. Making big diet adjustments can be really hard on anyone, and for kids even more so. But, here we are, and on day 5 no less.  It has not been fun for her, but I’m doing my best to make foods for her that are similar to what she already loves.  Yesterday I made a quesadilla using brown rice tortillas and goat’s milk cheddar.  Let’s just say that wasn’t a home run.

But on Saturday morning, I made chocolate pancakes using the spelt flour that was recommended by our nutritionist. They were delicious and she asked for them again yesterday. SUCCESS! Sadly I forgot to snap a photo for the blog, but rest assured they looked fantastic.

They aren’t gluten-free, but rather wheat-free which is part of our protocol. They were fluffy (but also dense, if that makes any sense?!). And the taste was on par with traditional pancakes. Here’s how I made them:

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups spelt flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/3 cups milk (we used Ripple milk, a new milk made from green peas)

A generous sprinkling of dark chocolate chips or blueberries

Butter (we used Earth Balance vegan butter)

METHOD:

Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.

Mix the wet ingredients together in a separate bowl.

Slowly fold in the wet ingredients to the dry, mixing thoroughly.

Add in chocolate chips (you can also use blueberries or whatever add-ins you prefer). I didn’t measure the chips, but rather eyeballed to our preference.

Melt a little butter in the skillet and add a mixing-spoonful of batter to the hot surface.

Cook, checking for doneness frequently. When the pancake is firm enough to flip, turn over and cook until done.

ENJOY! Please let me know what you think of these pancakes if you make them at home! I always love comments and shares. 

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New Recipe! Pan Fried Tofu

Braised Chicken With Green Olives & Garlic