Living Happy Living Strong

  It's the holiday season! This is a wonderful time to enjoy the cold weather, spend time with our family and friends (even if that's on a zoom call), and treat ourselves to some yummy seasonal goodies. Friendly reminder; eating something that isn't exactly in the "nutritious" category WILL NOT get you off track with your goals. You will not gain 10lbs from eating a cookie. Just relax. And hopefully, these tips come in handy. Tip No. 1 Eat-in moderation. Eating in moderation is key year-round. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying an indulgent, festive dinner — but you’ll want to make sure that your meals surrounding it are healthy and nutrient-dense. Have a light lunch like a salad with olive oil dressing, and opt for a  healthy breakfast  the next morning like avocado on whole-wheat toast. Tip No. 2 As lightly mentioned in tip no. 1, the days surrounding your big events are important for your body to feel like it's on its normal schedule. Sleep the right amoun

BREAKFAST TIME!!! Benefits of eating in the a.m. include... Consuming less fat through the day Meeting recommendations for fruit and vegetable consumption Having higher daily calcium intake Having higher daily fiber intake Having better performance (memory and attention) (for school-aged children )

  What  a \ re carbohydrates? Carbohydrates (a.k.a. carbs) are a type of macronutrient. When it comes to the 'health world' they get a pretty bad rap. Why? I honestly don't know because when you eat them wisely, they are truly amazing for you . There are 3 main types of carbs:  - SUGAR is the simplest form of carbohydrates and occurs naturally in certain foods, including fruits, vegetables, milk, and milk products. Some types of sugar include fruit sugar (fructose), table sugar (sucrose), and milk sugar (lactose). - STARCH  is a complex carbohydrate (it is made of many sugar units bonded together). Starch occurs naturally in vegetables, grains, and cooked dry beans and peas. -  FIBER , like starch,  is also a complex carbohydrate. It occurs naturally in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and cooked dry beans and peas. What are 'net carbs'? Net carbs are used to mean the number of carbohydrates in a product (excludes fiber and/or sugar alcohol carbs) What is the glyc

Do you ever crave a creamy, garlicky alfredo on a nice warm night? Here's a recipe I came up with that is gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan so you can get the most nutrition-dense food on your plate. Ingredients: - 1 cup steamed cauliflower - 1/4 cup cashews  - 2 tbs nutritional yeast - 1/2 clove garlic - 1 tsp garlic powder - 1 tsp basil (dried or fresh) - salt (to taste) - pepper (to taste) - water (add more for a lighter sauce) - pasta of your choice (my fav is chickpea!!) - water to boil pasta Steps: 1. Boil pasta 2. Blend cauliflower, cashews, nutritional yeast, garlic, garlic powder, basil, salt, and pepper. 3. Add water until you have reached your desired consistency. 4. Pour sauce into a saucepan and cook on medium-low heat. 5. Add pasta and serve fresh!! This blog provides general information and discussions about health and related subjects. The information and other content provided in this blog, or in any linked materials, are not intended and should not be construed a

  Hey! Do you ever crave some sweet chocolate? That's totally normal. There can be different reasons why these cravings are hitting, and you should probably learn some new ways to turn the corner and avoid them.     As usual, I am NOT going to tell you to "never eat things that you don't need or that don't provide you with any nutrients." But, sometimes we have goals set and we want to know how to curb those sugar-loaded foods.

When we binge eat, we feel as if we have no control over the amounts of food we are consuming.  Sometimes we make it easier for ourselves to binge foods by making them very accessible. If you were to be watching TV, and you decided you wanted some ice-cream, you have a decision to make in your head. 'Should I take the tub of ice-cream and eat up until a certain point?' Or should I portion out the  amount of ice-cream I want in a bowl and put the rest back in the freezer?' When you decide to take the whole tub of ice-cream, you are making it available to eat more than you really wanted in the first place. Ice-cream isn't the healthiest thing so you should probably portion the amount that you feel is right to treat your body. This is called PORTION CONTROL, and it applies to both healthy and less-healthy foods. It will not make you feel good if you eat TOO much of anything, that's why we should eat "everything in moderation". Portion control helps with this

This is officially my favorite pasta to make. It is super yummy and very hearty. GLUTEN-FREE, DAIRY/LACTOSE-FREE, and VEGETARIAN. It is also free of all the foods and ingredients that can disturb your stomach or digestive system with bloating and inflammation. Chickpea Rotini Pasta Recipe Yield: 2 servings     Cook time: 15 minutes    NO PREP!!!    Health Rate: A * = Optional Ingredients: - 2 cups spinach - 2 tomatoes - chickpea pasta - dried basil (to taste) - garlic powder (to taste) - water  - *red pepper flakes - dried oregano (to taste) - oregano powder (to taste) - salt and pepper (to taste) - *drizzle of EVOO How to get the perfect pasta from these ingredients: 1. Thinly slice the tomatoes and lay them evenly across a skillet (on medium heat) with basil, garlic powder, dried oregano, oregano powder, salt, and pepper.  2. Meanwhile, the tomatoes are cooking, boil the pasta in water until soft and tender. 3. Add the spinach to your skillet with tomatoes and slightly mash for a sau