The Pursuit of Wellness

Friday, January 9, 2015

Cilantro Rice with Chicken and Black Beans

Finding time every day to prepare healthy and fresh meals can be hard. One thing I love to do is prep extra food when I can, like grill extra chicken, that can be use for another meal later on.

Last night we had chicken taco salads for dinner. I had extra seasoned chicken and fixings leftover so I used them to throw this rice bowl together for lunch today.

Now I realize that these ingredients aren't something that we all keep in our refrigerators regularly so it am going to present this recipe from scratch for those that wish to make it anytime, leftovers or not! Speaking of leftovers...if you make extra cilantro rice for this it can be used in burritos, under stir fries, or other yummy dishes another time!

Ingredients:

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast

I pkg. boil-in-bag rice

Large handful fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

1 lime, zest and juice

OR Save time by using 2 cilantro and lime cubes (learn how to make them here)!

1 can black beans

1 small tomato, diced

3-4 green onions, diced

Directions:

Season chicken breasts if desired and grill until cooked through. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, prepare rice according to package directions. Drain and return to pan.

Add the chopped cilantro to the rice along with the zest and juice of one lime. Or if using the frozen cilantro-lime cubes, just stir them right into the hot rice to thaw.

Dice the grilled chicken and add to the cilantro rice. Drain and rinse the black beans and add them as well.

Top with diced tomato and scallions. Serve with a side of baked tortilla chips and pico de gallo if you like!

DISCLAIMER: The content on this blog, www.mind-bodypursuit.blogspot.com, represents the thoughts, ideas, and experiences of its author and should be taken as such…with a grain of salt. It is for entertainment purposes only and not intended to prevent, diagnose, or cure. Before trying any new physical activity, dietary plan, supplementation, complementary and alternative therapy, or other wellness tip please seek the guidance of a qualified professional.

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Feels like soup weather...How about some hearty ham and bean soup?

There is no better way to start my morning than watching the sun come up with my son. I am so glad he is a morning person like the rest of us! And this morning's sunrise surely did not disappoint; however, it was a tad bit misleading. While it is trying to make it look like it will be a beautiful day out...I assure you it is lying. It is cold! The thermometer may say 7 degrees out now, but it was in the negatives this morning. With these sub-zero temps I am going to go ahead and declare this soup weather!

With that being said...I have the perfect recipe for you all too. It's hearty, warm, and full of nutritional goodness. It's my ham and bean soup featuring navy beans in a bone broth.

I like to keep beans on hand since they are not only nutritious, but inexpensive, shelf-stable as you can buy them dried or in cans, and really versatile to cook with. Beans are a great source of alternative protein for vegetarians and vegans, or anyone that is looking to cut back on meat and poultry in their diet. In addition to all the vitamins and minerals in them, they have a good amount of fiber to keep you full. All of this and low in fat and cholesterol? Sign me up!

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend consuming three cups of beans per week. Meeting this goal may help to promote a healthy heart, reduce the risk of certain cancers, and promote muscle building and weight loss. They can also help pregnant women meet their folic acid needs to aid in fetal brain and spinal development and prevent other birth defects.

Bone broth is a hot trend these days. It's one of those things our ancestors did for years when making soups and didn't think twice about it...that was just how it was done. Bone broth is simply the addition of bones (such as this ham bone I threw in my soup) when making a stock and simmering it low and slow to allow all the nutrients, and gelatin which is particularly beneficial, to seep into the water.

Bone broth is said to be beneficial for digestive health, detoxifying the liver, reducing inflammation, fighting infection, relieving joint and muscle pain, promoting bone health, and supplying a healthy dose of vital minerals to the diet. For this recipe I just simmer the soup with the bones in it. To learn how to make bone broth and get the most out of it visit this website: http://www.primallyinspired.com/how-to-make-bone-broth/

Now let's get on to the soup...

Hearty Ham and Bean Soup

Ingredients:
1 large carrot
1 small onion
1 celery stalk
About an 8 oz. bone-in ham slice
1 can great northern beans
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Dice the carrot, onion, and celery. I use the celery heart including the leaves, it adds great flavor! Dice the ham and set aside. Place the ham bone, veggies, and bay leaf in a pot and cover with water. Simmer over medium-low heat for about 30-45 minutes until the veggies are tender and the broth turns light brown in color. Rinse the beans and add to the soup with the diced ham. Simmer for another 5-10 minutes to heat through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Note: The soup will already have quite a bit of salt from the ham, so definitely taste it before adding any extra. Remove the ham bone and bay leaf before serving.

Resources:
Primally Inspired. (2014). Bone broth: Health benefits. Retrieved from http://www.primallyinspired.com/bone-broth-health-benefits/

U.S. Dry Bean Council. (2014). Beans for a healthy heart. Retrieved from http://www.usdrybeans.com

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Are Your Goals SMART?

This time of year many people are making resolutions and setting goals to accomplish in the upcoming year, though unfortunately these typically fall to the wayside mid-January. I am not usually one to make New Year's resolutions. I feel that striving to be a better you is a goal we should work towards all year round!

Recently I was invited to participate in a Biggest Loser-style health and fitness challenge. I am still trying to bounce back from having a baby and juggling all sorts of new responsibilities so I figured...why not!?! Our first challenge is to create three goals that we wish to achieve from the competition.

Through my education, I have done quite a bit of research and projects on goals. One of the best methods I have found for creating successful goals is to make them SMART. SMART is an acronym standing for the key elements that should be included when developing an effective goal: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely. I will break the steps down for you here and provide an example from one of my goals.

My Goal: Lose 10% of my body weight in 16 weeks through healthy eating habits and regular physical activity.

Specific: Write a clear and detailed description of what you are trying to accomplish and how you plan on achieving your goal. My goal describes what I am trying to do (lose weight), how much I wish to lose (10% of body weight), and how I plan on doing it (diet and exercise).

Measurable: Make sure your goal is measurable so you can monitor and evaluate your progress along the way. To assess my progress periodically I am able to measure my body weight and calculate percentages to see how much I am losing.

Attainable: Create goals that are attainable considering your capabilities and limitations. My weight loss goal equates to an average of 1 pound per week which is a healthy rate that is attainable with hard work and dedication.

Realistic: Along the same lines of attainable, keep your goals realistic. Create goals that you both can and want to achieve. This goal is realistic based on the amount of weight I want to lose to return to what is a healthy "normal" weight for myself.

Timely: Set a time frame for yourself to achieve this goal. Without a deadline there is no definite end to work towards. My goal specifies exactly when I want to achieve my goal by (withing 16 weeks).

I hope you find this guideline helpful in setting yourself up for success. Please share your thoughts and experiences with setting goals that work!

Sunday, January 4, 2015

Sleep Well...Tonight!

According to Fitness magazine (2015) tonight is "the night during which you're most likely to toss and turn this month". They claim this is due to the full moon! Recent sleep studies, they explain, have shown that women experience a 15% decrease in sleep quality when the moon is full, due to their lunar clocks keeping them awake at night.

Well this just bites for those of us that don't get enough sleep as it is!! And let's face it, most of us can't afford to lose any more of those precious zzz's. I cannot remember the last time I got a good nights sleep...probably about a year ago before little guy was born, before pregnancy, and maybe even longer. So with that in mind I felt it was my duty to inform you all about this unfortunate situation and of course arm you with a few of my most effective tips to get the most out of your sleep tonight.

"Unplug" at least an hour before bedtime. Shut off the television, step away from the computer, put down the cell phone.

Calm down with a cup of tea such as chamomile or peppermint.

Relax with lavender. Try lighting a candle, putting on lotion, or adding it to a warm bath.
Play some white noise or soft music. Free apps can be easily downloaded for your computer or smart phone.

Clear your mind by writing in a journal or meditating.

Create a comfy and sleep-inspiring environment by splurging on quality bedroom furniture, linens, and pillows.

Open a window (if the weather allows!) to allow some fresh air into the room.

And my personal favorite: yoga! Try one of these great sleep inducing routines:

Fitness Magazine. (2015, January). Health Pulse. Fitness Magazine, pp. 30.