One-Dish Thirty Minute Meals and More

Clients tell me they would love to cook every day if they had the time. Since I understand this predicament being busy just like everybody else, I want to share my quick thirty-minute one-dish meals with everybody who is interested.

Perhaps when steps are written down it makes it easier than telling somebody that cooking every day is as easy as pie. Nobody believes that. But it is. For the idea to be set in motion, only focus, some planning and love for your healthy self is required.

I figured out while raising children and working that It is not necessary to spend a lot of time preparing, cooking and serving meals either for one or more persons. Elaborate dinners in different serving dishes can be reserved for special occasions. This does not mean that one-dish meals cannot have an ambient setting with flowers, candles and soft music. By keeping an eye-pleasing setting on the table, only the food has to be served and music turned on each time.

What really counts is quality and nutritional value of the food. Processed, fast food, as a one-dish meal does not count not even in a pinch.

Here are some easy ideas.

Soup is the quickest meal to get on the table. Served with crusty bread and some cheese and fruit for dessert is very satisfying.

Soup stock can be made ahead from chicken or beef bones and frozen. Boil the bones with apple cider vinegar. The acid draws calcium out of bones into the soup, which is of benefit for your bones.

Start by heating the soup stock. Next add cut-up different vegetables.

The common thinking is that cutting vegetables takes a long time. Yes, it takes some cutting, but it can be done in fifteen minutes while focusing on the task at hand. Don’t get side-tracked by TV, then the hand automatically slows down. A sharp knife can be an advantage, but watch out!

The image here of cut-up vegetables shows many different ones. There are potatoes, rutabaga, turnip, onions, carrots, celery, green beans, green pepper and baby broccoli and lots of garlic as well as fresh ginger. This particular soup contained leftover chicken adding additional protein and so would beans. Plain vegetable soup will fulfill daily requirements for necessary veggies because of amount and variety.

Soups are easy to make if it weren’t for all the prep work you think. Trust me, that’s the least of the problems. The problem could be with children who don’t like the sight of vegetables. In that case blend the soup into a puree touching up with a drop of cream.

My children liked cream, but also liked vegetables. They got the cream as home-made ice cream. It is worth it to buy an ice cream maker when you have children.  Nutritional super foods can be hidden in an ice cream dessert adding more value to one-dish meals and  they will never suspect. Lecithin was the ingredient I used because it provides choline, necessary for the brain to make acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter. Choline also helps with fat metabolism and as a liver support.

Bragg’s Liquid Amino Acids, Brewer’s Yeast and Lecithin, a handy trio, to sprinkle on one-dish meals at the end for superior nutrition. For more info visit : http://www.bodyiqonline.com/

Planning To Cook At Home

Cooking at home needs a little  planning now that you made the decision to change from eating out to making homemade meals for the benefit of your and your family’s health.Making changes in lifestyle can be daunting and take time until they too become a habit. Losing interest, anxieties of not succeeding and impatience of not getting there quickly, is quite normal, but does not have to be.

What are the steps that make a move into a new routine more effortlessly?

First, take a sweep through refrigerator and pantry. Finding a lot of prepared foods may present  the dilemma of what to do with them. Incorporated into healthy foods by adding organic, fresh vegetables or complex carbohydrates may be the way to go. Continue to use as much of the foods as you can without getting into a financial deficit or, preferably, discard them. Most do not have nutritional value anyway. Money spent was for packaging. Keep frozen vegetables since they are second best to fresh ones, if organic.

Once fridge and pantry are empty, replenish with whole foods one week at a time.

Concentrate on eating more vegetables making sure that there is enough of protein, fat and complex carbohydrates as well. Animal proteins are important to an omnivore, but remember, vegetables and carbohydrates contain protein as well. If there is variety, falling short on protein will not happen. Shop once a week at the farmers’ market for fresh, organic produce in season. Since they are fresh, they will keep well all week until gone.

At farmers’ markets grass-fed animal products like meats and eggs are available as well. Remember, it is not necessary to eat large portions of meat. A little goes a long way, as it is done in Chinese cuisine, meat is more or less a flavoring in the midst of very nutritious vegetables, herbs and spices.

If there is no farmers’ market, shop where food with most food value is available, is fresh, organic and naturally raised. Nowadays many super markets stock real and wholesome foods. Many towns and cities have health food stores where much of those foods you want to concentrate on are available.

Read labels. Ingredient lists should be short and easily understood by a person without a chemistry degree. Prepare bigger quantities of beans and grains like rice and quinoa for keeping in the fridge or freezer until ready for use. Cooking these does not take much time. They only need to be watched until done, at the most for one hour. Keep green herbs and a variety of spices on hand for additional nutrition and flavoring. Eventually, cooking at home will be a creative, meditative process you cannot do without. Just like everything else, it needs practice.

Keep tuned for more information on eating at home and what to cook.

More 30-Minute Meal Ideas

Most important is to keep all meals nutritionally superior by using whole and wholesome ingredients like good fats, complex carbohydrates and grass-fed meats. It is also important to watch portion sizes. Preferred meals still are big steaks, large baked potatoes with lots of butter and small salads. Best is to limit the size of protein so that it fits into the palm of your hand, the baked potato without butter and the salad big on varieties and quantity.

Instead of piling on grains, use less. It is healthier to exchange these for starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes, yams, parsnips, beets, potatoes, rutabaga, peas and Jerusalem artichokes. Choose whatever is in season. Green leafy vegetables, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and other low starch vegetables should fill the larger part of the plate.

When it comes to fat used in cooking, coconut oil , ghee (clarified butter) or butter are recommended since their smoke point is high. A high smoke point enables some oils to withstand high heat without becoming denatured. Olive oil can be used, but only on medium heat since its smoke point is low.

Stir-frying is a low-fat way of quickly cooking nutritious meals. Only a little oil is needed in the bottom of the pan then topped with vegetables that require longer cooking time and those needing less on top of these. After a short time of cooking everything is stirred around until done but still crunchy. Nutrients are retained by this method of cooking.

These are two of my salmon quick dinners from the two previous nights.

After a tiring day, I always want pasta. I excuse it by thinking everybody does.

I prepared salmon rubbed with dill and lemon zest quickly fried in a teaspoon of butter, rice linguini and salad. It was a large salad in a bowl not indicated by the few leaves decorating linguini and salmon. Everything hit the plate in 30 minutes.

Since salmon comes packed as a two piece package, I was left with the second piece the next evening. To eat fish twice in a row is difficult for me. I don’t like fish and only eat salmon for its nutritional values. To my surprise, a recipe evolved in my mind for left-over salmon and kale but seemed far-fetched. Of all things jazzing up the salmon were raisins and habanero pepper!

What started out as intimidating left-overs ended on my plate as a delightful marriage of sweet, hot, green, from left-over kale, and pink. Salmon with raisins, you must be kidding. I am not kidding, it tastes as if salmon was born to be seasoned with something sweet.

Different Spices Make Different Meals

Those thirty-minute one-dish meals should not always taste the same. Salt and pepper are wonderful condiments, but there is more a cook can experiment with.  Spices as well as herbs make a meal special and distinct.  Different countries’ cuisines all have their particular seasonings. There is Italy with plenty of garlic, oregano and olive oil. India with curries, garam masala and cayenne. Germany with bay leaves, juniper berries and capers. Mexico has such variety of peppers that every meal tastes not like the one before.

More exciting even is to create your own flavor combinations. This makes ordinary one-dish meals so unique even if the cook is not a trained chef.

I came up with the following the  other night. All my meals take really only thirty minutes to get on the table and to photograph. I am still working on taking better pictures, but again, nothing counts more than the good nutrition the meal provides.

This is a plate containing polenta topped with ground turkey, garbanzo beans spiced with Ancho chilis made nutritionally superior with toasted sesame and sunflower seeds. The latter giving the meal a nice crunch because everything else is soft. A green salad and a glass of wine appropriately partnered the dinner.

Polenta is easy and quickly prepared. Stir one cup of organic corn meal into two cups of cold water. Stir continuously until boiling, let it boil for a while, then cover until ready to serve. I used a second pot for this one, which did not detract from the time it took to prepare the fare.

The Ancho chili turkey was a bit too spicy even for my taste. It was cooled with a couple of spoons of yogurt.

Yogurt, milk or coconut milk extinguish the heat in fiery food.

I encourage you to experiment. You will love it and enjoy your creations and so will your family because it really tastes good. For more info visit : http://www.bodyiqonline.com/

Monday Night Thirty-Minute Meal

This is a thirty-minute vegetable based meal for a Monday night with some chicken to please the omnivore.

Ingredients are one potato, half a small cabbage, two broccoli spears and one carrot with chicken. Marinated the chicken in yogurt, ras el hanout (Moroccan spice) and turmeric in the morning. It cooked very fast, mostly in its own juice and a teaspoon of coconut oil. Tamari soy sauce and toasted sesame oil topped vegetables and chicken.

Salad ingredients are sweet red pepper, cabbage, arugula, tomatoes, capers and green onions with a dressing of flax seed oil, salt, red pepper flakes, dill, thyme and lemon.

I did not go to Morocco to get the spice. I bought it at Trader Joe’s. It is a handsome spice.

Use spices to become a hit as cook in your family and turn ordinary food into extraordinary healthy food with health benefits too.

Healthy Forty-Five Minute Meal

Sunday night dinner took a little longer to prepare – not my usual quick-fix hunger-quencher. I prepared three separate dishes, fresh asparagus from the morning’s farmer’s market, black bean chili with grass-fed beef, ancho chili powder, garlic, salt, onions and one tablespoon of Brewer’s Yeast for extra nutrition.

The third dish was an experiment and based on a recipe for turnips dressed in Miso sauce I saw in a magazine. My tub of red, mild Miso had been lingering in the back of the fridge when I encountered it and also remembered the recipe.

Turnips are cut up and settled in a skillet with one tablespoon of butter, salt, pepper and two tablespoons of Miso, a drop of maple syrup, enough water to allow turnips to cook until almost done. Drain the excess water off and let turnips caramelize and finish cooking in the rest of the liquid.

The recipe called for white Miso, which is very mild. I used red, mild Miso because that is what I had. It is not necessary to rigidly adhere to a recipe. You may turn out something even better.

Miso is a thick paste made of fermented soybeans, salt and the fungus Aspergillus oryzae. Miso is rich in protein, vitamins and minerals and good for a healthy gut bacteria. It belongs to the group of fermented foods like sauerkraut, yogurt, Kimchee that are recommended to replenish beneficial flora in the intestines.

As you see, there is also the glass of white wine cooled and thinned out with ice cubes and a big piece of fresh ginger. Ginger and white wine go well together. Wine goes very well with a Sunday night dinner or Monday to Friday dinners if you know what I mean. For more info visit : http://www.bodyiqonline.com/

Results of Eating Too Much Sugar

According to the World Health Organization people are eating too much sugar everywhere.

New guidelines are that sugar should only be ten percent of daily calories. This does not apply to natural sugars in fruit or milk only food products without nutritional value like breakfast cereal, sodas and sweets.

The problem here is that sugar is hidden in almost all processed foods. By not eating processed foods and reading labels one can control sugar intake easily, but otherwise we have no clue how much sugar we eat.

When we don’t eat breakfast, it is very likely that we make up for it with sweets, fewer vegetables and less fruit. For a start, eating a breakfast with protein and some fat will curb later cravings for quick energy that is usually a doughnut or more and that is followed by a sugar crash. For more info visit : http://www.bodyiqonline.com/

Fitness and Diet Tips for Today’s Women

For a woman, there is no greater high than a fit body and mind. And to lead a healthier lifestyle, it is important that you work towards it, without obsessing over it.

Here are some top fitness and diet tips for a healthy you :

FITNESS

• Train at least 3-4 times a week. The sessions should last for about 45 minutes to one hour. Remember, never to skip warm-ups and stretching before starting a workout and cool-down moves post workout.
• Stay hydrated. Water is critical to replenish the lost fluids when you are working out. Instead of picking up an energy drink, stick by old plain water and you will do just fine.
• Wear a heart rate monitor. It is the best way to track minutest details while working out. This will help you bail out at any sign of trouble.
• Wear a firm sports bra/dry fit and your workout gear should comprise of breathable fabric. This will help you sail through your workouts better.
• Always carry a hand sanitiser, towel and a deodorant in your gym bag. After all hygiene is a must!
• Pay attention to your form, breathing and alignment. Don't push yourself so hard that you overlook the form and breathing. Do less but do it right!
• Make strength training a part of your fitness routine. You will be able to build good quality muscles with the help of strength training. And there will be less chance of injury.
• Go for a full body check-up once every 8 months.
• Don't make your workouts a chore. Do what you love to do. Be it a dance-based workout, hard-core gymming or Pilates.

DIET

• Eat well balanced meals. Do not cut out any food groups. Eat your complex carbs, protein, fibre and essential fats.
• Kickstart your day with a big healthy breakfast. Eat clean and organic and try to stay away from processed meats and foods as much as possible.
• Eat your greens. And if you don't like them, blend them into a green shake and drink it.
• Eat a fruit instead of dessert. Every time you crave for a dessert, pick up your favourite fruits and toss them up into an interesting salad!
• Eat small portions frequently so you don't feel hungry and hence don't binge.
• Don't obsess about food. The key is to eat simple. Don't follow diets that you cannot pursue lifelong.
• Steer clear of aerated water, energy drinks and artificial sugar.

Regular Exercise Benefits for Teens

You keep your skin clean. You condition your hair. You're eating right. You're doing all you can to look and feel great. But are you missing out on an important part of a healthier lifestyle? No matter what your age or shape, you should exercise daily.

Because exercise helps use up oxygen, it causes your body to burn stored fat and helps you maintain a normal weight. For instance, if you walk 4 miles a day four times a week, you can burn about 1,600 calories or nearly half a pound a week. If you don't change your diet at all and keep walking the same distance over six months, you'll lose 12 pounds. Walk the same distance for a year and you'll drop 24 pounds.

The neat thing about exercise is you don't have to do it all at one time. After all, not many teens have time to walk 4 miles after school. But you can do 4 miles in short bursts throughout your day. Here's an idea of how to work that much exercise into your daily routine:

Take a 1-mile walk on a treadmill before school. Then, take a 1-mile walk around the track during school lunch period.
Take a 1-mile walk after school with friends or the family dog.
Take a 1-mile walk on the treadmill while watching your favorite show before dinner.

If you stay with the walking program, you'll see benefits with:

Weight loss
Muscle strengthening and definition
Stronger bones
A lower heart rate
Better mood
An improved complexion