Packages

TruFit and Healthy Haas Better Body Package

(call for pricing)

Includes: 3 nutrition consults with meal planning, grocery tour, and eating out tips AND 3 in-home training sessions with Jaime Follows, CPT and owner of TruFit!

The Healthy [Haas} Fitness [Excellence] Program -- call for pricing!

Includes . . .

Initial Consult and 2 Follow-up Consults with Jenn Haas, MS, RD; provides weeklong meal plans with recipes, tips for eating out, supplement recommendations, and customized disease treatment and/or prevention plan based on individual needs

Fitness Assessment and 2 Customized Workout Plans created by Chris Ridgway, CPT; option for e-mail or phone correspondence

This is a great holiday gift idea for your family, friends, or yourself! Give the gift of HEALTH and FITNESS with this unique program. This offer will end come January 1, 2012!

Meal in Minutes

This dinner took 20 minutes and was delicious!

Turkey meatloaf with tomato paste, sweet potato and pumpkin pie spice, and steamed green beans:

Global Food Market

Which turned into this yummy mug of warmth . . .

I LOVE Pho and this made it super easy to make my own [inexpensive] variation on the classic vietnemese soup. This broth base would be great with sliced green onions and shredded cabbage as well as shrimp, chicken, or lean beef. I am going to be utilizing this gem all winter long!
My recent purchase at Global Food market included:

Holiday Eating Tips, Part 2

The holidays are nearly upon us, and we know what that means: lots of not-so-healthy food choices. Instead of the usual healthy holiday eating tips — don’t skip meals, eat slowly, limit your portions, take the focus off food — let’s focus on the good foods that are a part of most holiday dinners that we can enjoy without remorse. (Of course, some may require a few minor alterations.)

Turkey.
What’s a Thanksgiving dinner without turkey? Turkey is an excellent source of lean protein, if you pass on the skin. Instead of basting the bird with oil or butter, just spray it with pan spray. Or, cook it in a brown paper bag to keep it nice and moist without all the fat.

Sweet Potatoes.
A nutrition superstar! Loaded with antioxidants, like vitamin C and beta-carotene, sweet potatoes are also an excellent source of potassium. Eat the skins and you’ll get lots of fiber, too. Keep this delectable vegetable simple; just bake fresh sweet potatoes and serve. Try to avoid the usual over-processed, too sweet, high-fat sweet potato casserole made with canned sweet potatoes and marshmallow topping.

Mashed Potatoes.
I know what you’re thinking: mashed potatoes don’t fall into the healthy food list. But, they can. Potatoes are fat-free; have more potassium than bananas; are high in C and B vitamins; and they are high in fiber when you leave the skin on. Potatoes get a bad name from the stuff (butter, cheese, sour cream, bacon, etc.) that we typically top them with. Try making skin-on mashed potatoes. Scrub potatoes and dice in ¼ to ½ inch pieces. Cook until tender. Drain well and mash with reduced sodium chicken broth, instead of milk and butter. Or, use low-fat milk and just a small amount of butter. Season to taste.

Green Beans.
Green beans are an excellent source of vitamin C. They also are a good source of vitamin A, fiber, potassium and folate. Try them steamed and sprinkled with slivered almonds. If you must have the green bean casserole, make it with lower fat versions of the typical ingredients.

Brussels Sprouts.
Perhaps they are not on everyone’s holiday table, but they should be. Brussels sprouts are a nutrition powerhouse, containing anticancer phytochemicals, as well as being an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium and fiber. My favorite way to fix them is to simply drizzle them with olive oil and roast in a hot oven until tender. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper, and you’re done.

Cranberries.
Cranberries are packed with vitamin C and have a fair amount of fiber. They also contain antioxidants that can help prevent urinary tract infections. Ditch the canned sauce, though. This is often high in sugar. Instead, cook your own berries and grind or chop them along with other fruit to make a refreshingly sweet-tart salad.

Pumpkin.
Pumpkin is rich in vitamin A and fiber. Pumpkin by itself is a low-calorie food. Too often, though, the only way we eat it is to mix it with eggs, sugar and evaporated milk and bake it in a pie. You can lighten up your pie recipe by using skim evaporated milk, cutting the sugar by 1/3 to ½ cup, and using a graham cracker or low-fat crust. Keep the whipped cream topping to a small amount or skip it. Keep canned pumpkin on hand all year and use it to make low-fat muffins. Just mix a cake or brownie mix (any flavor) with a can of pumpkin. Nothing else. Mix well and bake as muffins. You can add spices, nuts or fruit, if desired.

Copyright 2011 Serving Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks region including Osage Beach, Camdenton, Lake Ozark, Eldon and Sunrise Beach. Some rights reserved

Indian Made Easy

Tandoori chicken with wild rice

I was inspired to make this dish after watching "The Best Thing I Ever Made" and witnessed Aarti's Indian-inspired version of this classic. I made it easier (being that I do not own a spice grinder nor did I have the 23 spices needed for the spice blend on hand)-- Global Foods Market sells the Tandoori spice blend that I added to 1 cup of 0%Fage yogurt and coated the diced chicken, marinated all day, and baked at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Served alongside a simple wild rice blend in my rice cooker (since I have a history of burning grains) to a perfect al dente chew. The verdict: spicy but definitely flavorful. Director Doc cleaned his plate-- always a good sign-- I didn't love it but will play around with the proportion of spices to yogurt and maybe even try a stove top cooking approach. Certainly cheaper than takeout @ $3.30/serving. I also served a simple romaine salad with dried cranberries and diced orange peppers (unpictured).

Healthy Holiday Eating Tips

Below are “13 Ways To Healthier Holiday Meals:”

H ave low fat /low carb pre-dinner snacks such as raw veggies to munch on.

A void eating the turkey skin, which provides half of the fat in one serving of poultry.

P lan ahead to make sure you are not starving all day and then overindulging at the holiday meal.

P ractice portion control and limit seconds.

Y ams and sweet potatoes can be prepared without margarine and avoid the marshmallow topping.

H ave spray olive oil available for rolls and steamed veggies.

O verfill your plate with veggies and leave only a small space for higher fat/higher “carb” foods.

L eave the leftovers for someone else-eating the extras for 2 weeks won’t help your waistline.

I nclude green vegetables as half of your plate and the rest can be comprised of your favorite seasonal dishes.

D ownsize your dinnerware; use small plates.

A llow your food to “breathe;” don’t pile food high on your plate.

Y olks can be removed from boiled eggs to decrease fat in the cornbread dressing.

S ubstitute low-fat/reduced- carbohydrate ingredients as often as possible.

The Zija Builder System

My Zija builder pack came yesterday. Yay!

I have been using the Smart Mix daily for the past 10 days and have noticed a significant improvement in my skin, mood, and energy level/improved workout recovery. Moringa is a truly unique plant that has the complete micronutrient panel and all of the essential amino acids in addition to omega-3 fatty acids, polyphenols, and lutein. It reduced inflammatory responses that occur in our body daily, and this means that it can improve a wide variety of medical conditions (from reducing blood pressure, to improving arthritis, and optimizing metabolism). The XM+ is great for providing a little extra energy with ginseng. The XM/AM capsule has chromium, natural caffeine, and a proprietary blend that maximizes metabolism and fat-burning capabilities of the body. The XM/PM has helped Director Doc fall asleep and has improved the overall quality of that sleep when used in conjunction with the Zija tea. I am excited to try the skincare line next. I urge anyone reading this post to contact me if you are interested in learning about how Zija can benefit you. I would be happy to give you samples and see for yourself. This is a fabulous product!!

Thought of the day: