Healthy Habits for the Holidays

(and every day of the year)

The Christmas season is one of my absolute favorite times of the year. Unfortunately, it has a bad reputation when it comes to health and the American waist line. For some reason, filling our lives with celebrations and cheer also means that we must fill our lives with an overabundance of food and sweets. It's the American way, right? Well, it doesn't have to be - it is possible to enjoy this season without negative effects to your health.

Don't go hungry. Don't go shopping hungry. Don't go to parties hungry. Always eat a healthy breakfast. Start out your day with some oatmeal and fruit or egg whites on whole wheat toast. Studies show that people who eat breakfast, overeat less throughout the day. If you are going to an evening party, eat a healthy snack before you go. Some ideas are apple slices with peanut butter or carrot sticks and hummus.

Load up on the healthy stuff first. Half of your plate should be fruits and vegetables. Always. (: Fill up your plate with healthier options first and then get some smaller portions of the less healthy stuff like sweets and desserts. If the only vegetables available are drowning in unhealthy toppings, it's still okay. For sweet potato or green bean casseroles, just scoop out more of the vegetable and leave the topping in the dish for the next person (they'll probably thank you anyway); or just don't eat the topping, and leave it on your plate.

Enjoy the treats. If pumpkin pie is your favorite or you just can't live without those buckeyes, go ahead and take some. Eat your fruits and vegetables first, and then enjoy a smaller portion of the sweets and treats. Take small bites and savor it in your mouth. You'll find that you eat less and enjoy it more. The key is that the treats are not what is filling you up - they are just that (treats) for enjoyment.

Remember the real reason of the season. The sweets and treats are nice, but is that really what we need to have all the holiday cheer? Isn't it supposed to be a little more about celebrating the Savior's birth, and a little less about the food? A little more about spending time with loved ones, and a little less about all the presents? Food is meant to be enjoyed, but it isn't meant to be what gives our life meaning.

Write it down. If you are really worried about your self control, go ahead and write down everything you eat. This will help you keep track and stay accountable to yourself. However, if you follow the previous tips, this probably won't be necessary.

Most of all, enjoy the holiday season and don't focus too much on the food (:

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Dry Bean Method 1: Stove-Top

This is the first method I learned and it’s probably the method most people are familiar with. I find it interesting that cooking dry beans was used even in Bible times; so it’s nothing new, it has just decreased in popularity in America’s convenience-laden culture. With the ease of ready canned beans, a lot of Americans don’t even know how simple it can be to use dry beans. The average American consumes only about 6.5 pounds of dry beans yearly – amounting to only a fourth of the dietary guidelines (3 cups per week)!

Homemade Hummus

Confession time: I might have a hummus addiction (just ask my family lol). Seriously though, hummus is an amazing food. It's full of nutrition - fiber, protein, magnesium, iron, vitamin B6, and calcium to name a few. One fourth cup is only 100 calories. It tastes great. And it makes a perfect dip and/or spread for use on everything. I like eating it with pita chips (pictured) or carrots. It's also great spread on sandwiches and is a healthier choice than cheese or other condiments.

I mean, what's not to love?

Guest Post: The Simplicity of Dry Beans

Hello all! For the next couple weeks, I'm going to have a series of guest posts from my mother Jane. She is an excellent cook that I've learned almost everything from! She is especially an expert at using dry beans, which is something I haven't completely mastered yet. So these next few weeks, she's going to be showing you a few ways that she's found to make and use dry beans! I hope you all enjoy it! -Lorraine 

Homemade Vanilla Yogurt

Probiotics are the good guys in your gut. Probiotics are live microorganisms that live in your intestine and benefit your body. They are usually bacteria, but they can be yeast as well. Probiotics help your body synthesize vitamins, break down bile acids, improve your immune system, among other things. One great source of probiotics is yogurt. Yogurt is very simple to make, and tastes amazing!

Colorful Spaghetti Squash

Spaghetti Squash is seriously one of God's best inventions. It is so easy and fun to make, and it's a pretty healthy low-calorie choice. In this recipe, I added some spices, vegetables, and beans for additional flavor and nutrition.

Pumpkin Pie

What is Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie? I use the ingredients from the back of the Libby's pumpkin can, but I have a few secrets to baking that make it just a little better :) First secret is the pie crust, which I made yesterday.... After it has chilled thoroughly, take it out and form it into a ball. Flour your counter lightly, and roll the dough in the flour so it is coated on all sides. The secret is to not put too much flour, because it will make the dough dry. But at the same time, too little flour and the dough will stick to your mat and break when you pull it off. 

The Perfect Pie Crust

Disclaimer: this post isn't going to be my healthiest post ever....but pie only comes around about twice a year so it's not going to hurt anyone (it's the dose that makes the poison). (:

No-Bake PB Bites

Today I made some protein bites. These are incredibly easy and are great for breakfast, or snacks. The oatmeal is a whole grain that adds fiber, and the peanut butter adds some protein. Both protein and fiber help keep you full longer, making this one of my favorite go-to recipes. 

Fantastic Fiber

 

I just finished my gastrointestinal rotation, so naturally fiber is on my mind. The average American gets only half of the recommended amount of fiber. This can cause a myriad of problems from high cholesterol to constipation to cancer.

DIY Instant Oatmeal

Oatmeal is one of my favorite breakfasts. It's filling and healthy - you get some whole grains in and fiber. However, I don't usually have much time in the mornings; and by the time I get out all the ingredients and cook it for 2 minutes, I'm usually running late. Instant oatmeal packets would be nice if they weren't so expensive and didn't have so much sugar and salt in them. So I started making my own instant oatmeal packets. All you need is a few zip lock bags, quick oats, cinnamon (or spice of your choice), and a few toppings like fruit or nuts. (Please excuse the quality of the pictures - I had to use my phone...)

Foodies Unite!

I've always been a big fan of food. Whether it's my mom's homecooked meal or some produce fresh from the garden; no food beats homemade, homegrown, real, pure food. Convenience foods can have a place in our diets - albeit a very small place ;). The thing I love most about cooking is that you can craft your food to pure levels of perfection. When you are the one putting it together, you don't have to worry about preservatives and unknown chemicals or insects and dirt. You know what is in it, because you put it in it. You don't have to wait for research to be conducted to know if it is safe to consume, because it's real food; and people have been eating that for thousands of years.