3 Memorial Day Activities to Start Your Healthy Summer

Memorial Day is a national holiday set aside to honor soldiers and commemorate those who died in military service.  Memorial Day, also unofficially marks the beginning of summer, and comes complete with cook-outs, family get-togethers, shopping and beach vacations.  The nice break we get with this holiday weekend also makes it an ideal time to jump back into some healthy behaviors as we pay respect to our American soldiers.

Here are 3 ways you can make your Memorial Day celebration healthier:

1.     Give a Military Salute – Honoring the brave men and women who put their lives on the line every day and those who paid he ultimate price for our freedom with their lives means having an attitude of gratitude.   Research over the last decade has continuously shown that grateful people are healthier.  Some of what the researchers discovered was that thankful people tend to have more energy, sleep more soundly and even have a higher resistance to viral infections. So showing your appreciation is good for your health.

2.     Add Color to the Grill – Grilling is not just for steaks, burgers, hotdogs and chicken.  Throw a colorful array of vegetables on the grill this weekend and enjoy the smoky goodness of summer vegetables. Asparagus, zucchini, summer squash, red onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, corn, etc. all are easy to grill, low in calories, filling and nutritious. Check out the quick and easy recipe below for an idea.

3.     Bust a Memorial Day Move – There is a lot to watch on Memorial Day from concerts and fireworks to the Indy 500, NBA Playoffs and the PGA Memorial Tournament.  When we do a lot of watching we are doing a lot of sitting. So make a plan to move. Since it’s getting hotter every day early morning or late evening will be ideal times to get out and go for a walk, bike ride or hit the gym. Or make your cook out active with a softball, kick ball or badminton game. If you plan to be inside then try a jump rope relay, a 60 second commercial break dance contest or pull out the Wii or X-box to play some active virtual games (and no that does not include the thumb moving kind).

Have a fantastic weekend and let us know how you are making your summer healthy.  Enjoy and bon appetite!

Green Grill Spears

4 small zucchini cut into spears lengthwise

1 bunch of thin asparagus spears

1 tbs olive oil

2 tbs balsamic vinegar

3 tbs lime juice

2 tsps dried oregano, crushed

1/4 tsp dried sage, crushed

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/8 tsp salt

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

2 tbs crumbles goat cheese

2 tsp pine nuts

o   Whisk olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, herbs, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl

o   Place vegetables in a sealable bag and pour marinade in. Coat all the vegetables in the marinade and set in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours. 

o   Preheat grill and spray with cooking spray,

o   Remove vegetables from bag and place on grill. Reserve the remaining marinade to brush on vegetables as they are grilling.

o   Once vegetables are done (about 5 minutes) garnish with crumble goat cheese and pine nuts.

Enjoy your holiday and tune in Next Month when we will be doing a series called "But I Thought It Was Healthy!"

Five Easy Ways to Get Your Proper Serving of Vegetables

The USDA recommendations is  5 servings of vegetables a day. As we move from Spring into Summer it’s a great time to start taking their advice.  Fresh produce is plentiful at the farmers’ markets and local supermarkets and is arguably tastier, more nutritious and just what we need at the time of the year when it’s in season.  But we are not eating enough vegetables - except potatoes (French fries) and tomatoes (ketchup).  

In our fast pace convenience food society it takes some work to figure out getting 4 to 5 servings of vegetables a day. A few ideas on vegetables and how to prepare them can make it easier.  Plus with many vegetables the portion control concern is not that we eat too much but too little.  So check out these five seasonal vegetables to add variety and flavor to your warm-weather diet and eat up:

1.    Okra – We know it best in gumbo, but did you know you can eat okra raw? It is loaded with health benefits like vitamins A and C plus iron, calcium, magnesium and fiber. Added benefits are no mucilage (slime) when it’s raw. For optimal taste, make sure okra is fresh and tender. Squeeze lime over it, dip it in hummus or salsa. Or just chop and toss it into a green salad. Pickled is yummy too!

2.    Zucchini -- Fresh zucchini allows for tons of creativity. Eat it raw, grilled, or steamed. Try blanching and freezing thin slices in zippered baggies. Slice zucchini lengthwise and eat it raw like fries or brush with olive oil and sprinkle with Italian seasoning and grill. Toss into a salad or serve it on the side with fish.

3.    Asparagus -- Asparagus season is underway and runs through June. It is best when eaten within a couple of days of harvesting -- so purchase it locally. Steaming is the most common cooking preparation but it too can be eaten raw or grilled.   Toss it with a vinaigrette, dip it in hummus. Or grill it with olive-oil lemon juice and garlic.

4.    Spring Peas – Protein doesn’t just come from animals. A serving of sweet  green garden (or English) peas contains more protein than an egg-with less than a gram of fat and no cholesterol. These legumes should be shelled and blanched in boiling water just until they turn bright green. Sprinkle with just a touch of sea salt.

5.    Green Beans – This is one vegetable where you can really taste the difference when they are fresh from the garden. Steam and toss with sliced almonds, black pepper, sea salt and lemon juice.  

Last Minute Mother's Day Gifts on a Budget

Do gas prices, rising unemployment and the slow economy have you stumped about what to do for Mother's Day?  We love our Moms but often her work goes unnoticed and unappreciated, so it's time to treat her special. Problem is there just aren't many numbers before the decimal point in our bank balance.

GOOD NEWS!! You don't need a huge budget to give a meaningful lasting Mother's Day gift.  Invest in your Mom's quality of life, health and wellness and your gift will keep giving.  Your lean wallet can actually be the key to help Mom and the rest of the family get healthier.  Here are three (3) ideas for Healthy Mother's Day Gifts on a low or no budget:

1. Give "Time Coupons": Mom's wear multiple hats, multi-task and often have to adjust their schedules for their families so giving some time to your Mom is a great stress reduction gift.  What does time look like to a Mom?  You can start with these:
• 1 Week of Cooking Dinner 
• Doing the Weekend Laundry
• Helping with a project around the house
• Quality time with you in an activity of her choice
• A "Personal Sabbath Day" so she can have a complete day of rest
• An Evening Walk (down the street, in a park or at the mall)
• A picnic prepared by you
• A Mom's Night Out (without you)
• A weekend sleep in pass
• Thorough cleaning of a room or vehicle
2. Present a Healthy Meal: If taking Mom out for nice dinner means burgers and fries from the dollar menu, why not use that same money and prepare a healthy meal that will leave you with left overs (that is when eating proper portions, which we will of course be doing :-)). Here's how for about $20:
• Bake a Whole Chicken (Hormone, Steroid & Antibiotic Free $5 or Organic $10 and marinade $3)
• Steam some broccoli (2lb bag frozen $1.75)
• Steam some carrots (organic $1.27)  and sprinkle with cinnamon, drizzle with honey and coat with a 1/2 tsp melted butter
• Prepare some brown rice (32 oz bag $1.25) with lentils (1 lb bag $0.75)
• Bake some corn muffins (Bob's Mill Gluten Free Cornbread Mix $3.00)
• Skinny Cow Ice Cream Desserts ($3.98)
3. Fit Gift Certificate:  All Moms need to move and whether your Mom needs to get started or to spice up her routine an exercise gift certificate is an ideal affordable fit gift. Get her one or a series:
• Personal Training ($35-$75 depending on gym and trainer)
• Zumba Class ($10 - $35 per class or go for a series)
• YMCA or Gym Membership ($30 -  $55 per month)
• Boot Camp ($90 - $150 for 6 weeks)

Help your Mom have a Happy Healthy Mother's Day and take note yourself!