Fast-food oatmeal for breakfast?

Which would you choose for breakfast for yourself or your children?

                    




                                   .VS.





Oatmeal is one of the best breakfast foods out there, when prepared correctly.  True oatmeal (the actual oats, not the instant, flavored, pre-packaged variety) is a great source of soluble and insoluble fiber.  The insoluble fiber contains cancer fighting properties while the soluble kind helps to lower the bad cholesterol and slow the digestion of starch therefore avoiding the sharp rise in blood sugar that often occurs after consuming mainstream breakfast cereals, bagels, etc.  These are just a few of the benefits of utilizing this wonderful food.

Recently, fast-food giant McDonald's attempted to put a healthy breakfast item on their menu.  I was proud of them, until I saw the nutritional values of their oatmeal.  The oatmeal without the brown sugar still comes in at 260 calories with 18 grams of sugar, if you have the added brown sugar the sugar grams go to 32 and the calories to 290.  Just to give you an idea of what that means, a regular personal size bag of M&M's contains 31 grams of sugar, and a regular Hershey bar contains 24 grams of sugar.  Essentially, the Golden Arches has turned one of the very best foods you can start your day off with into an overpriced, blood sugar raising junk food!

Why overpriced?  Once serving (9.2 oz) of this glamorized oatmeal will run you between $1.99-$2.39 depending on tax.  I can purchase 5 lbs of organic rolled oats for $5.25, if we divide that into the 9.2 oz portions we're looking at approximately $0.50 per serving.  However, one cup of dry oats ( a serving size) is approximately 3.5 oz which brings it close to $0.15 per serving!  Even if I add in my own cinnamon, honey, raisins, apples, pure maple syrup, etc. I'm still looking at under $1.00/serving and it is so much healthier for you!

Many people complain about the length of time it takes to cook real oatmeal.  It really isn't that bad.  Regular rolled oats take about 10-15 mins on the stove, and steel cut oats take about 45.  The trick is to make a batch large enough to last for a few days and then store it in individual portions and reheat on the stove or in the toaster oven in the morning.  One way to save even more time is to put your water, oats, and any spices in the crockpot overnight and then add your fruit and/or natural sweetener in the morning.  Here is my favorite recipe:

                            Overnight Slow-Cooker Oatmeal

                            1 cup steel cut or regular oats (NOT Quick Oats!)

                                     4 cups water
                                     1  TBS butter
                                    1/2  tsp vanilla extract
                                      1 tsp cinnamon

Mix all ingredients together in crock-pot and set on low for 8 hours (you will need to time it to your wake-up time).  Once we're up and going we all throw in our favorite extras:  raisins, dried cherries, chopped apples, chopped nuts, fresh fruit, a drizzle of pure maple syrup (NOT Mrs. Butterworth!), or local, raw honey. This breakfast will stick with you, is loaded with nutrients, and will  keep you going until it's time for lunch.

You have one life to live;  do well, eat well, be well!

BS, CHC, AADP

To eat like a monkey or not?

*This article discusses the findings of recent research performed on rhesus monkeys. I am not promoting this research in any way, just discussing the findings. The entire article that I'm referencing can be found here: Today’s Lab Rats of Obesity: Furry Couch Potatoes*

For many people, following the American Heart Association's diet is the golden standard of healthy eating. However, according to research from the University of South Florida, it may be time rethink those guidelines from the AHA. Dr. Barbara Hansen, from USF, has been doing research on obese monkeys for quite some time and favors working with these primates that, like humans, become obese over time. She once had the world's heaviest monkey that became that way by eating nothing except the recommended diet from the AHA! Something doesn't seem quite right about that! Honestly, I believe this is where the bio-individuality of a diet comes into play: no one diet works for everyone all of the time! Granted, these are monkeys not humans, but the fact remains that they are the closest to resembling humans and the studies that are done on them are pretty good indicators of what the human body would go through if subjected to the same or similar conditions.

Speaking of what the human body would go through, an alarming picture from this study is what happened to a primate by the name of Shiva that was given the SAD (standard American diet)of surgary drinks and junk food and reflected the standard American lifestyle of sitting around with no physical exercise as well. This primate has a belly that grazes the floor! The other finding that shocked me was the fact that these primates are even more like humans than we realize; when they are bored they tend to eat. How many times have you found yourself reaching for something to snack on when you weren't even hungry, you just didn't have anything else to do? I'll admit that I've done it.

I hate to say it, but sometimes it takes looking in from the outside to figure out what needs to be tweaked in our own lives in order to live a healthy lifestyle, and this article paints a sad picture of what our country is heading towards as a whole.

You have one life to live; do well, eat well, be well!

BS, CHC, AADP

contact me for more information or to schedule a wellness strategy initial consultation.

We have a winner!!!

Last week I posted a giveaway contest for some amazing chocolate peanut butter.  Random.org was used this morning to pick a winner, and the lucky winner is:  Caren!  Congratulations, your wonderful product will be on it's way to you tomorrow.

Life is short; do well, eat well, be well!


BS, CHC, AADP

Snack time!

One of my family's favorite snacks is homemade kale chips, and kale is in abundance right now as a seasonal vegetable.  Now  I know that kale doesn't sound that impressive as a snack, but when you know about all of the nutritional benefits of this wonderfully obscure green you will want to do what you can to have your kiddos eat it too!  

Kale is a member of the cabbage family, and it

 is considered to be a highly nutritious vegetable with powerful antioxidant properties; kale is considered to be anti-inflammatory.  Kale is very high in beta carotene,vitamin K, vitamin C , lutein, zeaxanthin, and reasonably rich in calcium. 

 Considering that this is what it looks like, it is easy to see why it would be difficult to entice others to eat it:

However, if after taking the central stem out you happen to have some olive oil, sea salt, and nutritional yeast on hand, you can make a crunchy, slightly nutty, salty snack that is VERY addicting (our dog even likes to eat them...weird girl!)!

Once the central stem is removed, you just need to toss the kale leaves with the above ingredients until they are all coated with the oil (but not swimming in it!) and have a decent amount of salt and nutritional yeast on them.  I pop mine in to the dehydrator for about 45 minutes, but you can also put them under a broiler for a few minutes or turn your oven to the lowest setting and put them in for about an hour to an hour and a half.  Just make sure that you check on them so that they don't burn...burnt kale doesn't have a very alluring aroma!

The finished result doesn't look much different than what you started with:

But is sure is much more enjoyable!!

Once I start eating these, my body actually craves them and it is hard for me to stop (it's also hard for my boys to stop, they ask for the chips constantly when they know we have kale in the house)!  We also like to crunch them up over salads and pasta dishes to boost the nutritional value even more.

One of the best things about this snack  is that it is so easy for older kids to prepare, so put those kids to work creating a healthy snack for your family!

You have one life to live; do well, eat well, be well!

BS, CHC, AADP

First Giveaway!!

I am so very excited to post my first giveaway!

Here are the rules:  you need to "like" me on Facebook, and then you either need to comment directly on the giveaway post or the favorite outdoor activity post.  Once I have reached 50 likes, I will use random.org to choose a winner from all of the posts.

Now for the prize:  "Sunland's Dark Chocolate Organic Creamy Peanut Butter"!  This stuff is truly amazing!  It is

dark roasted, coarse ground peanut butter spread with glorious dark chocolate. The extraordinary depth of flavor will be enhanced by fresh fruits, your favorite sweet breads, and pastries. Try heating it and drizzling it over ice cream or spreading it on New Morning Honey Graham Crackers...yum!

 As always:  you have one life to live; do well, eat well, be well!


BS, CHC, AADP

Groundhog Day, is Spring finally coming??

Ahhhh, Punxsetawney Phil did not see his shadow this morning which means that Spring is right around the corner.  I have to say that I am thrilled with this news, especially after taking the dog out on the frozen tundra this morning!  While the crystals hanging off of the trees are beautiful, I am so over this weather!

The thought of Spring approaching led to my decision to run these next two programs. The first is a 7-Day Whole Foods Detox::

7-day Whole Foods Detox

February 6-February 12
HURRY, space is limited to 12 participants! This is a great opportunity to get some friends together to detox and explore whole foods. This is also a GREAT Valentine's Day gift to yourself!!
 What You’ll Get:
~Over 30 Delicious Detox Recipes
~Detox Guidelines
~Sample Detox Menu
~Grocery List
~Daily Stress Reduction Techniques
~Support and Camaraderie Within a Group Setting via Online Forum
~A Deeper Understanding of How Food Affects Your Body and
~What Works Best for Your Optimal Health!

Available to participants across the globe!

Participants will receive all their materials via email, participate in an online virtual forum throughout the week moderated by Bridget, and receive daily encouragement from your peers. A real-time wrap-up call will be held on day 7 of the detox in which folks can call-in from any location.

Investment: $35.00

And, in anticipation of warmer weather, the second program I will be running is a 6-Week Spring Break Slim Down:

6-Week Spring Break Slim Down

February 13-March 26

A six-week jump start program to a healthier, happier you!  This 6-week course will include:

• an e-book created just for this class with menus, exercises, and homework
• an introductory mp3 class delivered to your inbox on day 1
• a mid-point mp3 class delivered to your inbox
• a forum monitored by Bridget to talk with others that are also on the program
• twice weekly e-mails tailored to you and your needs/concerns

• an optional call-in session during the last week

This class is very popular and space is limited, so sign-up now!  This is also a wonderful opportunity to do a "challenge" with your friends and/or family before heading to the beach!

Investment:  $90.00

These programs are available to anyone across the globe since they are virtual programs, so it would be a perfect time to call your friends from out of state to join you!  You can find out more information about my approach and fill out a contact form to start receiving e-mails via my website:  http://www.dowelleatwellbewell.org

Life is short; do well, eat well, be well!


BS, CHC, AADP

Feed Your Soul to Cure Your Winter Blues

Think for a moment of a food from your past, one that makes you feel great after you eat it for no specific reason. Maybe it is macaroni and cheese, slow-simmered tomato sauce, ice cream cones or fresh from the oven chocolate chip cookies. Eating comfort foods (every now and then) can be incredibly healing, even though your rational brain might not consider it highly nutritious.

Food has the power to impact us on a level deeper than just our physical well-being. What we eat can reconnect us to precious memories, like childhood playtime, first dates, holidays, our grandmother’s cooking or our country of ancestry. Our bodies remember foods from the past on an emotional and cellular level. Eating this food connects us to our roots and has youthful and nurturing effects that go far beyond the food’s biochemical make-up. I know that every time I make my (now modified for nutritious value) chocolate chip cookies the smell of them baking sends me right back to age 11 when I first started making them.

                                                            

Acknowledging what different foods mean to us is an important part of cultivating a good relationship with food. This month when we celebrate lovers and relationships, it’s important to notice that we each have a relationship with food—and that this relationship is often far from loving. Many of us restrict food, attempting to control our weight. We often abuse food, substituting it for emotional well-being. Others ignore food, swallowing it whole before we’ve even tasted it.

What would your life be like if you treated food and your body as you would treat your beloved – with gentleness, playfulness, communication, honesty, respect and love? The next time you eat your soul food, do so with awareness and without guilt, and enjoy all the healing and nourishment it brings you.

BS, CHC, AADP