Optimal Body Balance at the Madison Well Expo

Optimal Body Balance at the Madison Well Expo

by | Feb 2, 2011 | Uncategorized

Hi everyone!

I hope everyone had a happy healthy weekend! The OBB crew had a great time hanging out at the Well Expo. Thanks to everyone who visited us and played spin it to win it; we gave away free cooking classes, personal training sessions, metabolism testing, stress-less seminars, shopping bags and of course, the coveted tea mug. We also collected names to be entered in a drawing for a FREE spot in our Little Black Dress Class (a $397 value!!).

If you weren’t able to make it, you missed a lot of fun on Sunday… the OBB crew and friends did a flash mob which we followed up by a cooking demonstration of fast and fantastic kitchen tips and recipes featuring our 50 Things to do with a Rotisserie Chicken. Everyone who attended was able to sign up for a free cooking class! Don’t worry, we got video of the flash mob and I’m sure you will be seeing that very soon. If you want to join us for a cooking class, our next two will be held at Whole Foods on Wednesday, February 9th at noon and Wednesday, March 12th at noon. Check out the Whole Foods website for more information on those classes (they’re only $5!).

Here are the dishes we shared at the demo; please tweet with us at OBBSheila and let us know what you think if you try a recipe!

Chicken, Asparagus and Quinoa Salad
1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
8 ounces asparagus, tips only
1 7-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained and sliced
2 cups sliced rotisserie chicken meat
juice of 1 lemon (about 3-4 tablespoons)
2 teaspoons olive oil
mixed greens

  1. Cook quinoa according to package directions. Allow to cool.
  2. Steam asparagus for 3 minutes, then plunge into cold water to stop the cooking process.
  3. Slice red peppers into thin strips.
  4. Combine quinoa, steamed asparagus, red pepper strips and chicken in a large bowl.
  5. Whisk oil and lemon juice together and add to salad. Toss and chill.
  6. Serve over mixed greens.

* We like to cook our quinoa in the rice cooker. It’s easier, cuts down on the amount of dishes you’ll have to do later and allows for more room on the stove top to cook other things. You can even add the asparagus tips when the quinoa is halfway through the cooking process and it will be perfectly steamed!

Asian Chicken Noodle Salad
4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken meat
1/4 cup creamy nut butter
1/4 cups soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce
1 tablespoon minced ginger
3 tablespoons chicken broth or water
12 ounces linguine or rice sticks
2 carrots, grated
4 scallions, chopped
1 red pepper, cut into thin strips
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

  1. Cook pasta according to directions. Place in a bowl. While pasta is cooking, blend or process the nut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, chili garlic sauce, ginger and broth until smooth.
  2. Add chicken, carrots, scallions, pepper strips and chopped cilantro to the bowl of pasta and toss.
  3. Pour sauce over the pasta mixture and toss well to coat. If sauce is too thick, thin it with extra broth or a little water.

Chicken with Broccoli Rabe and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
1 bunch of broccoli rabe, trimmed and chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup slivered oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt
pinch of freshly ground pepper
meat from rotisserie chicken, sliced
pine nuts
mixed greens

  1. Cook broccoli rabe in a large pot of boiling water until bright green and barely tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain in a colander and gently press out as much water as possible.
  2. Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the broccoli rabe and chicken and cook, stirring until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, salt and pepper. Top with pine nuts as garnish.
  3. Serve over mixed greens.

* We recommend steaming the broccoli rabe instead of boiling it. When you cook veggies by boiling them, they lose a lot of their nutritional value in the water; all the water soluble vitamins and minerals and dumped down the drain. To steam the rabe, simply place the rabe in a steamer fit into a boiling pot of water, cover it and allow it to steam until tender, about 5 minutes.

Jamie Oliver’s Evolution Cucumber Salad with Shrimp
2 cucumbers
sea salt
freshly ground pepper
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
fresh mint
tablespoon greek yogurt
black olives
1 fresh red chile
shrimp

  1. Peel the cucumbers, chop off the ends and halve them lengthways. Use a spoon to scoop out the seed and discard them. Chop the cucumber into irregular bite-sized chunks and place in a bowl. Season with a good pinch of sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Add 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and mix well. Pick some leaves off a few sprigs of fresh mint and roughly chop them. Add them to the salad and toss together. Serve the salad simply as it is, or let it evolve…
  2. Add a large tablespoon of greek yogurt to the cucumber salad. Toss until well coated and serve drizzled with a little extra virgin olive oil.
  3. Chop up a large handful of black olives and add them to the salad. Toss well.
  4. Halve a fresh red chile lengthways, seed and finely chop. Scatter over the salad and serve drizzled with a little extra virgin olive oil.
  5. Toss in some cooked shrimp and serve.

* We suggest leaving some of the peel on the cucumber instead of peeling it fully. A good amount of nutritional value is stored in the peel. Try peeling strips off and leaving a couple strips on.

Optimal Body Balance at the Madison Well Expo

The Thursday Three-Day Menu Plan

by | Jan 26, 2011 | Uncategorized

Hi everyone! Here is the Thursday Three-Day Menu Plan. Usually, we do at least one smoothie a day for breakfast because it’s fast, easy and a good way to sneak veggies into the breakfast, but I’ve been hearing that some people miss having something warm to wake up with. If that’s how you feel, this menu plan is for you!
Like usual, all recipes can be adapted to your specific dietary restrictions or allergies. If you have any questions about how to do this or any other questions in general please leave a comment on the post or tweet with us @ OBBSheila!
Breakfast
Carrot Scallion Latkes
Mini Spinach Frittata
Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal
1st Lunch
Fusilli with Herbed Ricotta and Grape Tomatoes
Warm Quinoa Salad with Toasted Almonds and Ginger Cumin Cabbage
Chickpea Tuna Salad
2nd Lunch
Broccoli Salad with Creamy Feta Dressing
Spicy Avocado and Black Bean Salad
Watercress and Pistachios
Dinner
Jerk Halibut with Apple Sweet Potato Mash
Chicken and Mushrooms with Brown Rice
Warm Lentil Salad with Shrimp, Apples and Mint and Orange Spinach
Carrot Scallion Latkes
3 cups shredded carrots
3 scallions, finely chopped
3 eggs whisked
1/2 teaspoon celtic sea salt
1/2 teaspoon coconut flour
olive oil for frying
  1. In a large bowl combine carrots, scallions and eggs.
  2. Stir salt and coconut flour into carrot mixture.
  3. In a large skillet heat oil.
  4. Scoop large tablespoonfuls of batter onto skillet.
  5. Fry patties on each side over medium heat until browned and crispy.
  6. Transfer latkes to a paper towel lined plate.
  7. Serve with applesauce and sour cream or yogurt.
Mini Spinach Frittata (makes 9 frittatas)
5 eggs
2 tablespoons milk of your choice
3/4 cup diced red pepper
1 package chopped frozen spinach
5 ounces soft goat cheese
salt and pepper to taste
  1. Microwave spinach on high for two minutes. Wring with hands to drain excess liquid.
  2. Beat eggs and milk in a small bowl.
  3. Mix in goat cheese.
  4. Add veggies and salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Pour mixture into greased muffin tins.
  6. Bake at 350 for 12 to 15 minutes, or until firm and just golden on top.
Pumpkin Oatmeal (serves 2)
1 cup quick cook rolled oats
3/4 cup milk of your choice
1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
agave nectar or honey to taste
  1. Cook quick cook rolled oats or oatmeal of your choice according to instructions.
  2. Add milk to desired consistency and cook 30 seconds more.
  3. Stir in pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice and sweetener and serve.
Fusilli with Herbed Ricotta and Grape Tomatoes (serves 4)
salt
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, chopped
1/4 cup (plus additional for serving) grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves, chopped
12 ounces fusilli or corkscrew pasta
1 pint (2 cups) grape tomatoes
  1. Heat a large covered saucepot of salted water to boiling on high.
  2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine ricotta, oregano, 1/4 cup Romano and half of basil.
  3. Add pasta to boiling water and cook label directs, adding tomatoes when 3 minutes of cooking time remain.
  4. Reserve 1/4 cup pasta cooking water. Drain pasta and tomatoes; return to pot. Add reserved cooking water to ricotta mixture; stir into pasta and tomatoes. Toss with remaining baisl. Serve with additional cheese if you’d like.
Warm Quinoa Salad with Toasted Almonds (serves 5)
1 1/2 cups quinoa
2 1/2 cups (plus 1 tablespoon) water
1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
2 green onions, thinly sliced diagonally
1/4 cup sliced natural almonds, toasted
  1. In a 12-inch skillet, toast quinoa on medium 5 minutes or until fragrant and golden, stirring frequently.
  2. Stir 2 1/2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt into toasted quinoa; heat to boiling on high. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 15 to 17 minutes or until all water is absorbed.
  3. Meanwhile in a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, rice vinegar, oil, ginger, green onions and remaining tablespoon water.
  4. Transfer quinoa to large serving bowl. Stir in soy sauce mixture until quinoa is evenly coated. Sprinkle with toasted almonds to serve.
Ginger Cumin Cabbage (serves 6)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 small (2 pound) head green cabbage, cored and cut into 1/2 inch wide slices
2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
  1. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil on medium 1 minute. Add onion and cook 8 to 10 minutes or until tender and golden, stirring occasionally.
  2. Add cabbage, ginger, cumin and salt and cook 11 to 14 minutes or until cabbage is tender — stirring occasionally.
Chickpea Tuna Salad (serves 6)
3 1/2 cups (two 15 1/2 ounce cans) chickpeas, drained
1 cups chopped yellow onion
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoons ground black pepper
3/4 pound Ahi tuna steak
  1. Combine the chickpeas, onion, red pepper, and cilantro together in a large bowl.
  2. Whisk 3 tablespoons olive oil, vinegar, 3/4 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper together.
  3. Toss with chickpeas, cover with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
  4. Heat a medium skillet over high heat. Add remaining tablespoon olive oil. Season both sides of the tuna with remaining salt and pepper and place in the skillet. Sear — about 2 minutes each side.
  5. Remove tuna from the pan, cool slightly, slice and serve over the chickpeas.
Broccoli Salad with Creamy Feta Dressing (serves 4)
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
8 ounces broccoli crowns, trimmed and finely chopped (about 3 cups)
1 7-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
  1. Whisk feta, yogurt, lemon juice, garlic and pepper in a medium bowl until combined.
  2. Add broccoli, chickpeas and bell pepper; toss to coat. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Spicy Avocado and Black Bean Salad (serves 4)
1 15.5-ounce can black beans, rinsed
1 orange bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and sliced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 avocado, sliced
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
  1. In a medium bowl, combine the beans, bell pepper, jalapeno, lime juice, oil, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
  2. Fold in the avocado and cilantro.
Watercress and Pistachios (serves 4)
1 bunch watercress
1/4 cup pistachios
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
zest of 1 lemon
  1. In a large bowl, whisk together Dijon mustard, lemon juice, olive oil, and kosher salt. Add watercress, pistachios, lemon zest. Toss well.
Jerk Halibut with Apple Sweet Potato Mash (serves 4)
2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 Granny Smith apples, each peeled, cored and cut into 8 wedges
4 pieces (6 ounce) halibut steak, 1 1/2-inch thick
1 tablespoon jerk seasoning
9 ounces of broccoli florets
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 lime, cut into 4 wedges
  1. In a 5 to 6-quart saucepot, place steamer basket and 1 inch water; heat to boiling on high. Place potatoes and apples in steamer basket; cover and steam on medium-low 20 minutes or until potatoes and apples are tender.
  2. Meanwhile, grease ridged grill pan; heat on medium until hot. Rub halibut steaks with jerk seasoning to seasom both sides. Grill halibut 6 to 8 minutes or until opaque throughout, turning over once. While halibut is cooking. Cook broccoli.
  3. Place potatoes and apples in bowl; mash with salt and black pepper.
  4. Serve halibut with lime wedges, mashed sweet potatoes and broccoli.
Chicken and Mushrooms with Brown Rice (serves 4)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs
1 package (10 ounce) sliced cremini mushrooms
2 mediums stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
14 to 14 1/2 ounces chicken broth
1 cup instant brown rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
8 baby summer squash, halved and steamed
  1. In a 12-inch skillet, heat oil on medium high until hot. Add chicken and cook, covered, 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; turn chicken and cook, covered, 5 more minutes. Transfer to plate.
  2. To same skillet, add mushrooms, celery and thyme; cook 5 minutes or until vegetables are softened, stirring occasionally. Add broth, rice, wine, salt and black pepper; heat to boiling.
  3. Return chicken to skillet. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer about 12 minutes or until juices run clear when thickest part of chicken is pierced with knife and rice is cooked. Serve with squash.
Warm Lentil Salad with Shrimp, Apples and Mint (4 servings)
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
salt and pepper
1 pound fresh or frozen (thawed) shelled and deveined medium shrimp
1 cup lentils
6 cups water
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup Golden Delicious apple, unpeeled, cored and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
  1. In a small bowl, whisk oil, vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper. Spoon 2 tablespoons dressing into medium bowl. Add shrimp; toss to coat.
  2. In colander, rinse lentils with cold water and discard any stones or shriveled lentils. In 4-quart saucepan, combine lentils, water, onion, and 2 tablespoons mint; heat to boiling on high. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 8 to 10 minutes or until lentils are tender but still hold their shape. Drain well.
  3. Meanwhile, heat 12-inch skillet on medium-high until hot. Add shrimp with any dressing and cook 4 to 5 minutes or until shrimp turn opaque. Remove from heat; stir in 1 tablespoon mint.
  4. Stir shrimp, apple celery and remaining mint and dressing into lentils.
Orange Spinach
1 navel orange
1 tablespoon olive oil
10 ounces spinach
1/4 teaspoon salt
orange peel strips for garnish
  1. From orange, grate 1/2 teaspoon peel and squeeze 3 tablespoons juice.
  2. In a 5 to 6 quart saucepot, heat oil and grated orange peel on medium-high until hot. Add spinach, in 2 to 3 batches, cooking and stirring about 3 minutes or until spinach begins to wilt and it all fits in saucepot. Cover and cook 2 minutes longer, stirring once. Remove saucepot from heat; stir in orange juice and salt. Garnish with orange peel.

Sources:
www.realsimple.com
www.elanaspantry.com
www.eatingwell.com

Optimal Body Balance at the Madison Well Expo

Women Need to Think Like Men When it Comes to Exercise

by | Jan 25, 2011 | Natural Weight Loss, Uncategorized

It turns out that we women have some valuable lessons to learn from men when it comes to exercise and dieting. There are three specific areas where women should try thinking more like men – goal setting, type of exercise training, eating habits and mindset.

Let’s talk about goal setting first. Having a goal is a very important part motivating yourself to achieve change. In general, men and women set goals differently. When it come to weight loss and exercise, women tend to set goals based on weight. They want to see a specific number on the scale and that becomes the only goal. This goal is good in that it is measurable, but it can be very hard to attain and hard to assess how well you’re doing while you’re actually doing physical activity. Men, on the other hand, tend to set goals based on specific exercise performance. More reps of a certain weight training exercise or cutting down running time for example. These goals are still measurable, and they are also more attainable. Performance specific goals keep people more motivated while they are exercising and they keep workouts interesting. When you’re more motivated, you will train better and when you train better, you will get closer to that number you want to see on the scale.

Have you noticed how the cardio classes tend to be filled with women, while the weight room seems to be dominated by men? Well here’s another area where women might want to take a cue from the opposite gender. Cardio is great and it should be part of your workout, but you need to mix it up with strength training. Cardio doesn’t build muscle like strength training does and building muscle is necessary part of losing weight and maintaining your weight loss. Having more muscle causes your body’s energy expenditure to go up; in other words the more muscle your body has the more calories it has to burn on a daily basis. Burning more calories will help you achieve and maintain that weight you’re aiming for. Not to mention you’ll look more toned and fit than you would if you just did cardio alone.

Scared to try lifting weights? It can be intimidating to walk into that weight room; we have some tips for you.

  • Go with a friend
    It’s not as intimidating when someone is there with you. You can learn together and cheer each other on.
  • Try a group class that includes strength training
    There are tons of really fun classes these days in group settings that do things such as weight lifting routines to music. If you’re someone who enjoys these choreographed group classes you should really give this a try.
  • Try functional fitness
    Functional fitness uses mostly your own body weight and minimal equipment to get the same strength training workout.
  • Buy free weights to use at home
    Pick up some free weights to keep at home, there are lots of great online resources for simple weight lifting routines that can be done without a problem in the comfort of your own home.
  • Check out pilates or yoga
    These types of classes focus on strength training without the weights.

You’ll be surprised at how rewarding lifting weights can be. It’s a great feeling when you can add more weight on the bar or do that extra set of reps. You can really see your effort paying off; unlike cardio machines where results are harder to measure.

Remember what we said about goal setting for exercise? The same sort of thing can be applied to your eating habits. Instead of setting a general goal of eating healthier, set specific daily or weekly goals such packing your lunch for work instead of eating out, having an extra serving of veggies, or substituting fruit for bacon with your eggs. This will give you something to focus on and help keep you on the right track because you can see that you are making healthy changes and accomplishing something. Men, in general, don’t binge eat as much as women do. This is because of the way most men view food. Food is fuel. You need to start thinking like this. Don’t turn to food because you’re sad or to celebrate; food is only to fuel your body, so listen to what your body is telling you and eat when you’re hungry!

The last thing I want to touch on is mindset. Women tend to over-think, over-research and over-plan when it comes to exercise and dieting. Men tend to just jump in and act. Stop waiting for the perfect time to join the gym or start eating healthier, just do it! The sooner you start, the sooner you’ll be seeing results.

Source: Dayton Daily News “Men, Women Have Different Diet, Exercise Goals”

Optimal Body Balance at the Madison Well Expo

Thursday Three-Day Menu Plan

by | Jan 21, 2011 | Uncategorized

Here’s the Thursday Three-Day Menu Plan. Remember that each recipe can be adapted to your specific tastes and restrictions. For example, with the artichoke and olive crostini, if you can’t have gluten just use the topping on rice crackers or something else you enjoy.

For the smoothies, it is important to include protein, so be sure to add in some protein powder or nut/nut butter of your choice.

Breakfast
Ginger Winter Green Smoothie
Green Smoothie Goodness
Dandy Dandelion Smoothie

1st Lunch
Mesclun Salad with Chickpeas and Dried Cherries
Tuna Chopped Salad
Winter Lentil Soup

2nd Lunch
Arugula Salad with Green Beans and Radishes
Artichoke and Olive Crostinis with a side of mixed nuts
Black Bean Escarole Salad

Dinner
Spiced Cod with Broccoli-Quinoa Pilaf
Red Currant Glazed Chicken with Spinach
Mushroom and Herb Strata

Ginger Winter Green Smoothie
1 cup frozen berries
2 cups fresh spinach
2 cups water
1/4 inch ginger root

Green Smoothie Goodness
1 banana
1/2 gala apple
1/2 pear
1/2 cup kale
1/4 cup water

Dandy Dandelion Smoothie
1.5 cups dandelion greens
1 cup apple juice
1/2 cup water
1/2 mango
1/2 peach

Mesclun Salad with Chickpeas and Dried Cherries (serves 4)
6 ounces mesclun
2 carrots, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced on the bias
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup fresh dill sprigs
4 to 5 tablespoons Balsamic-Dijon Vinaigrette

  1. In a large bowl, toss the mesclun, carrots, chickpeas, cherries and dill with the vinaigrette

Tuna Chopped Salad (serves 4)
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 small fennel bulbs, trimmed and diced
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and diced
1/2 pound carrots (about 3), peeled and diced
1 15.5-ounce can chickpeas, drained
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 head radicchio, shredded
6 tablespoons oilve oil
kosher salt and black pepper
2 6-ounce cans tuna in oil
2 tablespoons chopped, fresh flat-leaf parsley

  1. Mix the onion and vinegar in a small bowl. Cover and set aside for 10 minutes, stirring halfway through.
  2. Combine the fennel, green beans, carrots, chickpeas, tomatoes, and radicchio in a large bowl. Gently toss.
  3. Drain the onion slices, reserving the vinegar. Whisk the reserved vinegar with the olive oil. Add 1 1/4 tablespoons salt and 1/2 teaspoons pepper.
  4. Drain the tuna and flake it into large chunks in a medium bowl. Toss with half the onion slices, 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette, and the parsley.
  5. Toss the remaining vinaigrette and onion with the chopped vegetables. Divide the vegetables among 4 serving bowls and top with the dressed tuna.

Winter Lentil Soup (serves 6)
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 leeks (white and light green parts), cut into 1/4 inch thick half moons
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 bunch kale, thick stems removed and leaves cut into 1/2 inch-wide strips
1/2 cup brown lentils
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
kosher salt and black pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan (optional)

  1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, breaking them up with a spoon, for 5 minutes.
  2. Add 6 cups of water and bring to a boil. Stir in the sweet potatoes, kale, lentils, thyme, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Simmer until the lentils are tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
  3. Spoon into bowls and top with Parmesan, if using.

Arugula Salad with Green Beans and Radishes (serves 4)
1 large bunch arugula
1 small fennel bulb, cored and very thinly sliced
4 ounces raw green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 radishes, cut into wedges
6 to 8 tablespoons Creamy Parmesan Dressing

  1. In a large bowl, toss the arugula, fennel, green beans and radishes with the dressing.

Artichoke and Olive Crostinis (makes 24)
24 thin slices baguette (from one small loaf)
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts (rinsed and chopped)
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
kosher salt and black pepper
2 ounces Parmesan, shaved

  1. Heat oven to 400. Place the baguette slices on a baking sheet and brush both sides of the bread with 2 tablespoons oil. Bake until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes per side.
  2. In a small bowl, toss together the artichoke hearts, olives and parsley with the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil; season with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper.

Black Bean Escarole Salad (serves 4)
2 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 small red onion, peeled and finely chopped
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 15-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 head escarole, washed and trimmed of tough leaves
12 ounces guacamole
1 ripe avocado, sliced
1 lime, cut into wedges

  1. In a small bowl, combine the garlic, salt, onion and vinegar. Season with the pepper, then whisk in the oil.
  2. Place the beans in a large bowl. Pour 3/4 of the dressing over them. Add the chipotle and cilantro. Toss, cover and set aside.
  3. Preheat grill pan over medium heat.
  4. Toss the escarole with the remaining dressing. Grill for 3 minutes, turning constantly, until just wilted and golden.
  5. Serve with the beans, guacamole, avocado and lime wedges.

Spiced Cod with Broccoli-Qunoa Pilaf (serves 4)
3 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 small onion, chopped
kosher salt and black pepper
1 cup quinoa, rinsed well
2 cups chopped broccoli
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup roasted almonds, coarsely chopped
2 scallions, sliced
4 6-ounce pieces skinless cod, halibut or striped bass fillet
1/2 teaspoon paprika

  1. Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to brown, 3 to 4  minutes.
  2. Add the quinoa and 1 1/2 cups water to the saucepan and bring to a boil; reduce heat to low, cover and simmer gently until almost all the water has evaporated, 10 to 12 minutes. Fold the broccoli and raisins into the qunoa, cover and cook until the quinoa and broccoli are tender, 8 to 10 minutes more. Remove from heat and fold in the almonds, scallions, 1/21/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
  3. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Season the cod with the paprika, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook until opaque throughout, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Serve with the pilaf.

Red Currant Glazed Chicken with Spinach (serves 4)
1/2 cup red currant jelly
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 1/2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt and black pepper
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 cup golden raisins
1 10-ounce package fresh spinach, thick stems removed

  1. Heat oven to 425. In a small bowl, whisk together the jelly and red pepper.
  2. Place the chicken on a rimmed baking sheet. Rub with 1 tablespoon of the oil and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
  3. Roast until cooked through, 25-30 minutes, basting with the jelly mixture twice during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
  4. Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
  5. Add the garlic and raisins and cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is golden, 2 to 3 minutes.
  6. Add the spinach and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and black pepper and cook, tossing, until the spinach begins to wilt, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve with chicken.

Mushroom and Herb Strata (serves 4)
4 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for the baking dish
1 medium onion, chopped
1 8 to 10-ounce package button mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsely
6 large eggs
2 cups whole milk
kosher salt and black pepper
1/2 pound fontina or Cheddar, grated
4 cups mixed greens (about 3 ounces)
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar

  1. Heat oven to 350. Oil an 8-inch square baking dish. Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, tossing occasionally, until tender and any liquid has cooked off, 4 to 6 minutes more. Remove from heat and mix in the parsley
  2. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add the bread, cheese, and mushroom mixture and toss; transfer to the prepared dish. Bake until golden brown and set, 50 to 60 minutes.
  3. In a large bowl, toss the greens wit the vinegar, the remaining oil and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Serve with the strata.

 

Optimal Body Balance at the Madison Well Expo

$1.34 for a Pound of Fat

by | Jan 18, 2011 | Natural Weight Loss

When people are trying to make the change to a more healthy lifestyle a common complaint is that it’s expensive. It’s expensive to join a gym, expensive to buy whole, organic foods, expensive to enroll in a weight loss program. Instead of focusing on the expenses, you should really focus on how much money you will save in the long run. If you weigh more you probably eat more and if you eat more, you’re probably spending more money on food. The numbers will surprise you.

The USDA has calculated that it costs a person $1.34 to maintain one pound of fat per month based the average American’s calorie intake and food costs. This means that if you weigh 300 pounds, you are spending about $398.65 on food per month. If you get your weight down from 300 pounds to 180 pounds, you would be saving $159.46 per month on your food budget. How many pounds of fat are you investing in each month?

You can see that when you calculate how much money you’ll actually be saving for the rest of your life, the costs are offset. Not included in your savings is the amount you’ll save in healthcare costs. Instead of investing in pounds invest in lifelong health.

If you’re think you’re ready to make a change and start saving, take a look at the Optimal Body Balance program. We have many different program formats and there is sure to be something for you. Invest in the program and earn back the program cost and more when you become a healthier, happier you.

Source: Marty Hinz, MD “The cost of a pound of fat: gaining perspective”